Great demand for booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine among people in Oman

Muscat: The third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will raise antibodies and immunity by more than 75 per cent in the body, Senior Consultant and Head of Infectious Diseases Section — Internal Medicine Department at the Royal Hospital has said.

Speaking to the Times of Oman, Dr Faryal bint Ali Al Lawatia, Senior Consultant and Head of Infectious Diseases Section — Internal Medicine Department at the Royal Hospital, said, “The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines is reduced due to the Omicron variant, and there are studies that show that the third booster or supplement dose raises antibodies and immunity by more than 75 per cent.”

Dr Faryal confirmed that the need for a supplemental dose of COVID-19 vaccines for some groups of people with low immunity came because they did not reach the required level of immunity after two doses.

The Senior Consultant also said that due the spread of the Omicron variant, the time period for obtaining the booster dose of COVID-19 vaccines has been reduced. There are studies confirming the safety of obtaining it after three months.

“A large British study showed the safety of mixing vaccines and their ability to form antibodies better. There is no harm in getting the Pfizer vaccine after two doses of another vaccine,” Dr Faryal Al Lawati added.

Dr Zaid Al Hina’ai, an infectious disease consultant at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital also said that there will be a rapid rise in infections in the coming period due to the rapid spread of the mutant.

He pointed out that the worrying thing about the Omicron mutant is the speed of spread and the large number of infections. The reassuring thing is that the risk is lower than the previous mutant. Dr Al Hina’ai confirmed that the third dose is very important and vaccinations must be expedited.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Committee charged to deal with COVID-19 has announced on Monday, December 20, 2021 that the Sultanate has recorded of 15 new cases of the Omicron mutant.

As per the data received from the Ministry of Health, fifteen new cases of the Omicron mutant have been registered in the Sultanate of Oman, all of whom are currently undergoing epidemiological investigation, the Supreme Committee said.

The Supreme Committee has urged everyone to fully adhere to preventive measures such as wearing a mask in all closed places, maintaining physical distancing, avoiding crowded places and gatherings of all kinds, and maintaining clean hands.

The Committee also called upon all those aged 18 and over to take the initiative to receive the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine available in primary care institutions.

In response to the Supreme Committee decisions, citizens on Tuesday went to health centres in various states in the Sultanate to take the third dose. The Directorate General of Health Services of Muscat Governorate said in a statement that there is a great demand from citizens and residents to take the third dose as part of the immunisation campaign against COVID -19 in different locations of the Sultanate as well as the Oman Airports building in the wilayat of Seeb.