COVID-19: Healthcare workers have until 14 Jan to get J&J vaccine booster shot

Healthcare workers have until 14 January to get their Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine booster shots.

Phase 2 of the Sisonke vaccination programme kicked off in November, 10 months after the initial phase.

Researchers said that although the J&J jab did not prevent all Omicron coronavirus infections, it still prevented severe illness and hospitalization.

Around 50% of healthcare workers who received the primary Johnson & Johnson vaccination during phase one of the Sisonke programme have received a booster dose.

Less than 500,000 were inoculated from February to May compared with 230,488 who received their J&J booster shot as part of phase two of the programme.

Sisonke study co-lead investigator Professor Linda-Gail Bekker said that the booster shot does provide added protection even against the Omicron variant of concern.

“What we know from the data is that when you do two of those J&Js two to six months apart, you really do get very good protection in the clinical trial,” she said.

Healthcare workers still wanting to get the jab after the 14 January cut-off date will have to join the queue as part of the national booster shot rollout.

-EWN

In other news – Somizi’s n#des break the internet – Vusi Nova took them

Besties Somizi and Vusi Nova have fuelled romance rumours once again, and it’s all down to another steamy n#de pic. The former Idols SA presenter posted and deleted a picture of his bare butt on Instagram. And the cheeky star even tagged his photographer – the Ntandane hitmaker!

In the picture, which was screenshot and shared on Twitter, Somizi is seen standing on the edge of a pool, facing away from the camera. Learn More