Kenya will from January roll out the Covid-19 vaccine booster jabs, the Health Ministry has revealed.

The Kenya National Immunization Technical Advisory Group held a meeting on Monday to deliberate on the matter after scientific evidence showed that immunity against the virus wanes over time. 

A Covid-19 booster shot is an additional dose of a vaccine given after the protection provided by the original shot(s) has begun to naturally decrease over time. 

A booster tricks the immune system into thinking that it is again seeing a pathogen, so antibody-producing cells, and other immune cells, are recalled into gear.

“We appreciate that there is data on waning vaccine protection. The Kenya National Immunization Technical Advisory Group met this Monday,” vaccines deployment taskforce chair Willis Akhwale said.

“They are finalizing the report but I can just mention they are going to recommend booster shots and specific guidelines will be given as we begin the New Year.”

Akhwale had earlier own hinted that the elderly people and those with preexisting medical conditions will be given priority in the booster schedule.

With the Omicron variant rapidly spreading across the world less than two months after it was first isolated by scientists in South Africa, most countries including Kenya are considering the possibility of a booster vaccine dose.

The US CDC has recommended an extra shot for the elderly and those with a compromised immune system as well as those aged 18 years and above with existing medical conditions and those in high-risk jobs such as healthcare workers.

The ministry has been gathering local data on the need to administer Covid-19 booster jabs to those already fully vaccinated. 

“It is much better if it is done from the programme perspective if the committee thinks there should be booster doses, then it looks like the vaccine should be mixed, you don’t get the same vaccine you got for the first two doses,” member of the vaccines taskforce Dr Richard Ayah said.

The ministry has noted that the uptake of the vaccine has gone up with 154,000 vaccinations taking place on Tuesday. Edited by D Tarus, Magdalene Saya, The Star