Covid-19 ‘mutation’: Call for people to vaccinate and get boosters

South Africans, especially the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, are being urged to vaccinate against Covid-19 or get booster shots as a precaution. 

This comes after the identification of the first case of a Covid-19 infection caused by the new XBB.1.5 mutation in the country, nicknamed “kraken” by some for its ability to spread.

LISTEN | 'The immunity of SA is still very strong' — health ministry amid new sub-variant

The case was detected on Friday by Stellenbosch University. It has been described by the World Health Organisation as “the most transmissible subvariant” found so far in the pandemic.

“People should get their shots. The virus is still around and we should be protected, especially those who are vulnerable, the old and those with underlying health conditions,” said leading virologist Barry Schoub.

Virologist Prof Tulio de Oliveira, head of a gene-sequencing institute at Stellenbosch University, told the Sunday Times they are alert but not concerned about the XBB.1.5 mutation.

“You must understand it is not a new variant, as people are saying. It is part of the Omicron family. It is a mutation,” he told the Sunday Times.

“We do not expect serious repercussions in South Africa. This is due to the high percentage of our population who are immunised. We are talking about more than 95% of South Africa, whether through vaccinations or previous infections. It is likely our wall of immunisation is strong enough to protect us,” De Oliveira said.

The mutation is yet to be identified in China, which is undergoing a surge in infections after relaxing strict controls that limited the effect of previous waves of Covid-19 in the country.

No spike in cases, hospitalisations, or deaths has been seen in South Africa so far, De Oliveira said. 

Which booster should I get?

The government’s SA Coronavirus portal recommends all essential workers, people over 50, and people with compromised immune systems get booster shots as an additional layer of protection against possible future variants.

• Essential workers:

If you are younger than 50, you need three jabs. If you started with Pfizer, you need two Pfizer jabs to be fully vaccinated and one booster shot 90 days after being fully vaccinated. If you started with Johnson&Johnson (J&J), the one shot means you’re fully vaccinated, but you’ll need two booster shots of either J&J or Pfizer. The first booster is 60 days after being fully vaccinated. Your second booster is 90 days after your first booster.

If you are 50 or older, you need four jabs. If you started with the Pfizer vaccine, you need two Pfizer jabs to be fully vaccinated, followed by two boosters. The first booster is 90 days after being fully vaccinated, the second is 120 days after your first booster. Your first booster can be either J&J or Pfizer, but your second must be Pfizer.

If you started with J&J and you’re 50 years or older, just the one shot means you’re fully vaccinated, but you’ll need three booster shots. Your first booster is 60 days after being fully vaccinated. Your second booster is 90 days after your first and your third is 120 days after your second booster. Your boosters can be either J&J or Pfizer, except for your third booster which must be Pfizer.

• People older than 50:

People who are 50 and older can have an additional booster shot. You are advised to get four jabs. If you started with Pfizer, you need two Pfizer jabs to be fully vaccinated, followed by two boosters. The first booster is 90 days after being fully vaccinated, the second is 120 days after your first booster.

Your first booster can be either J&J or Pfizer, but your second must be Pfizer.

If you started with J&J, just the one shot means you’re fully vaccinated, but you’ll need three booster shots. Your first booster is 60 days after being fully vaccinated. Your second booster is 90 days after the first and the third is 120 days after your second booster. Boosters can be either J&J or Pfizer, except for the third which must be Pfizer.

• People who are immunocompromised:

To maximise your protection, you need to have four shots – an additional dose to be fully vaccinated, and booster shot/s.

If you started with Pfizer, you must have your additional dose 28-120 days after your second Pfizer shot to be fully vaccinated. You can then have a booster 90 days after your additional dose. Your additional dose and booster shot can be either J&J or Pfizer.

If you started with J&J, you’ll need an additional shot 28-120 days after your first J&J vaccine. This means you’re fully vaccinated. You can get your first booster shot 60 days after your additional dose, followed by a second 90 days after your first booster. Your booster shots and additional dose can be either Pfizer or J&J.

Why?

Immunity to Covid-19 — whether you get it from having had Covid-19 or from your vaccinations — decreases after several months. The booster will help to increase your immunity again. People who have been vaccinated are less likely to get severe illness, be hospitalised or die when getting Covid-19. 

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