Nairobi — The Ministry of Health has approved the use of booster shots for individuals who have completed the primary COVID-19 vaccination series.
The directive is contained in the updated guidance on COVID-19 vaccination in the country.
Acting Director General of Health Dr. Patrick Amoth said Saturday that the population that has been fully vaccinated can be offered an additional dose of either AstraZeneca, Moderna of Pfizer vaccine six months after the completion of the primary series.
“The same or different vaccine can be used for the additional dose,” he said in a notice addressed to all County Directors for Health.
Following technical guidance by the Kenya National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (KENITAG), the Ministry of Health also provided different recommendations with Amoth revealing that anyone who received the first dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can get AstraZeneca jab after 28 days as their second jab.
He also notified Kenyans that in the event one experiences serious effects after receiving the AstraZeneca shot they can go for Pfizer or Moderna as second dose eight weeks after the initial shot.
“The event must be captured in the patient record and the Ministry of Health reporting form for adverse events following immunization,” he said.
He has also stated that pregnant women should be offered the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and urged those who begun vaccination with other types of vaccine doses to complete their doses using the same vaccine.
On children, he advised that the Pfizer vaccine should be offered to children who are 15 years of age and above.
So far, the Ministry of Health has dispensed over 9.4 million vaccines with about 4 million Kenyans fully vaccinated against the virus.
Amoth noted that the Ministry is targeting to vaccinate 30 million Kenyans by December 2022.
With the spike of COVID-19 cases in the country largely driven by the Omicron variant, Amoth stressed that the government is committed to tame the virus that has shuttered global economies.
“It is noteworthy that as evident globally, vaccination against the disease remains one of the most effective long-term solutions of reducing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality,” he said.
Kenya on Friday recorded its highest COVID-19 positivity rate yet after posting 32.6 percent.