Dr Ivan Muscat, deputy medical officer of health, said it was ‘now clear’ that people who were severely immunosuppressed may not fully respond to the standard two-course dose of vaccination.
The UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended that people with conditions including leukaemia, advanced HIV and those who have recently received an organ transplant should be offered a top-up jab.
Dr Muscat said: ‘The JCVI has confirmed that this third dose should be offered to people over 12 who were severely immunosuppressed at the time of their first or second dose.
‘It is now clear that individuals who are severely immunosuppressed, due to underlying health conditions or medical treatment, may not mount a full immune response to two doses of Covid-19 vaccination, and a third dose of the vaccine will improve their chances of developing a good antibody response.’
Dr Muscat added that while vaccination still offered protection after two doses, the levels of antibodies in around 40% of immunosurpressed people were low.
‘We will be working with hospital specialist teams and GPs to identify groups who are eligible for a third dose. We advise that if you think you’re eligible, you contact your specialist team or GP, who will ensure that the vaccination team are notified. You will then be contacted for an appointment.’
UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said that a Covid booster scheme was likely to begin later this month and that he was waiting on final advice from the JCVI before proceeding. He added that the most vulnerable would be offered the third jab first.
Dr Muscat said: ‘We are still awaiting the final guidance from the JCVI on the separate mass booster programme for autumn and will issue further information once we have the guidance.’
Those eligible will be offered either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines although the option for AstraZeneca jabs will be available for those who received this vaccination previously.
