Booster doses of the COVID vaccine are continuing to roll out across the Murrumbidgee Local Health District for those who were inoculated earlier this year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Anyone who received their second vaccine dose six months ago is eligible for a booster dose, and is encouraged to come forward to gain additional protection.
The MLHD's COVID-19 coordinator Emma Field said that six months after your second dose of the vaccine, its protection will have waned to around 50 per cent.
"When you do get your booster dose it goes right back up to that 95 per cent protection," she added.
Immunocompromised people, however, are eligible for a third primary dose of the vaccine at least 28 days after their second dose.
Because the COVID vaccine was initially rolled out in phases, those who became eligible first - such as healthcare and emergency workers - are naturally the first ones able to come forward for their booster.
"Of that group we've seen a very big uptake," Ms Field said.
She also said that the community doesn't need to worry about supply of the vaccine as more people become eligible for the booster shot in coming months.
"We've got the staff, we've got the resources, we've got the vaccine," Ms Field said.
"We have great stock of Pfizer and we're ready for that group of people coming through."
READ MORE
She said NSW Health is monitoring data from countries such as Israel and the United Kingdom, who have already rolled out booster programs, to see if additional boosters may need to be considered as well.
As for side effects of the booster shot, Ms Field said it is nothing worse than seen in any other vaccination.
"[It's] nothing out of the ordinary," she said, with some people experiencing mild side effects for up to seven days.
Ms Field said the health district is "very pleased with the numbers", having been relatively stable for three days now.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.irrigator.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram