CITF endorses boosters for all adults, allows choice for Sinovac shot

 

The Technical Working Committee under the Covid-19 Immunisation Taskforce – Boosters (CITF-B) has expanded the eligibility of Covid-19 booster shots to everyone above the age of 18, though certain groups such as senior citizens will still have priority for appointments.

In addition, it has backed down from the earlier proposal to use Pfizer’s vaccines as the “default” option. Instead, it says people who previously completed their vaccination with the Sinovac vaccine will be allowed to choose the Sinovac shot for their third dose.

In a statement today, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the committee recommends using the Pfizer vaccine as a booster shot for Sinovac recipients of all ages three months after their second dose. For those above 50 years old, the AstraZeneca vaccine may be used instead.

For those unable to receive the Pfizer or AstraZeneca boosters, the Sinovac vaccine can be used as a booster instead.

“For those who choose the CoronaVac (Sinovac) vaccine as a booster, they can inform the vaccine administration centre (PPV) to get the vaccine.

“However, the Technical Working Committee still recommends the Comirnaty (Pfizer) or AstraZeneca vaccine as a booster shot,” he said in a statement today.

Previously, Clinical Research director Dr Kalaiarasu Periasamy said the committee had proposed using the Pfizer vaccine by default as a booster shot while reserving the Sinovac vaccine for those with known allergies or other contraindications to the Pfizer vaccine.

This is because heterologous vaccination following the Sinovac shot is found to produce a robust immune response that led to higher vaccine effectiveness.

Citing a study in Chile, he said using a homologous Sinovac booster increased vaccine effectiveness against Covid-19 infection from 56 percent to 80 percent, whereas heterologous boosters with the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine increased this to 90 percent and 93 percent respectively.

Against hospitalisation, the Sinovac booster increased effectiveness from 84 percent to 88 percent, compared to 87 percent for Pfizer and 96 percent for AstraZeneca.

The CITF-B recommendations today follow Drug Control Authority’s conditional approval to use the Pfizer vaccine as a booster shot on Oct 8, and similar approvals for the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines on Nov 17.

[More to follow] - Mkini