Premier Alan Winde welcomes booster shots amid looming Covid-19 fourth wave in Western Cape

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde has welcomed the approval of Pfizer booster shots, encouraging residents to get vaccinated amid the looming Covid-19 fourth wave in the province.

This week the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) approved the Pfizer booster shot for everyone older than 18.

Sahpra approved a third dose should be administered at least six months after the second dose. A third dose of the vaccine for individuals aged 12 years and older who are severely immunocompromised should be administered at least 28 days after the second dose.

Winde said the province was ready to administer the booster shots as soon as the electronic vaccination data system (EVDS) is updated accordingly. 

“Getting this booster will be important for those residents who are at higher risk of severe illness as we now rapidly approach our fourth wave,” he said. 

“We will officially enter our fourth wave when our 7-day moving average of new daily infections reaches 30% of the previous peak. At the current trajectory, this is imminent.”

He pleaded with those who are eager to get the booster shot to be patient. 

“I ask you to please wait for us to announce the programme has opened. The EVDS must enable us to process third doses for all those presenting at the sites,” said Winde.

On Wednesday, Pfizer-BioNTech said three doses of its Covid-19 vaccine work against the new Omicron variant, while two doses are less effective.

This is after results from an initial study  demonstrated serum antibodies induced by the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine neutralise the Omicron variant after three doses. 

Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s chair and CEO, said two doses appear to be able to protect people from severe illness and death, but a third dose improves protection.

“Although two doses of the vaccine may offer protection against severe disease caused by the Omicron strain, it’s clear from these preliminary data that protection is improved with a third dose of our vaccine,” said Bourla.

“Ensuring as many people as possible are fully vaccinated with the first two-dose series and a booster remains the best course of action to prevent the spread of Covid-19.”

TimesLIVE ran a poll asking readers if they would be lining up for a booster shot.

Most (67%) said they would because they wanted to be protected from harm the Omicron variant could cause, 13% believed they had done enough by getting two shots, and 20% said they had not had one shot of the vaccine.