As expected, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine allowed the second booster vaccination against COVID-19 for everyone, and at the same time updated the vaccination schedules. The relevant decree was adopted by the Ministry of Health on September 2 on the basis of the recommendations of the National Technical Expert Group on Immunoprophylaxis (NTGEI), but they reported this only today .
So the two key changes are allowing a second COVID-19 booster for all adults who want it, and lowering the age threshold for coronavirus vaccination.
Second COVID-19 booster and new vaccination schedules
A second booster dose is permitted to all adults at intervals of at least 4 months after the first booster dose. The interval between the first is at least four months. 3 vaccines against COVID-19 are now available in Ukraine:
- inactivated CoronaVac by Sinovac
- Comirnaty mRNA vaccine from Pfizer-Biontech
- vector Janssen (Jcovden) from Johnson&Johnson
New vaccination schedules have also been approved in accordance with the recommendations of WHO , EMA and ECDC , the National Immunization Technical Expert Group . The main change is that the inactivated CoronoVac vaccine can now be used as a booster after other vaccines. That is, if the patient received a basic course of Comirnaty, Moderna, or any other vaccine, then a booster vaccination (both the first and second) can be given with the CoronoVac vaccine. These vaccination schedules are safer and better protect against the severe course of coronavirus disease and the risk of death due to post-exposure complications.
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The order also reduced the minimum period between the basic (primary) vaccination course and the booster dose from 6 to 5 months.
Reducing the threshold age for vaccination against coronavirus
The second important change is the permission to vaccinate children aged 5-11 against COVID-19. Previously, vaccination of children from 12 years of age was allowed in Ukraine.
The vaccination will be carried out with Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine. A prerequisite for the vaccination of children aged 5-11 years is the informed consent of parents or guardians. We are talking about the form N063-2 / o – in accordance with Article 43 of the Fundamentals of Health Legislation.
Now the government is waiting for the appropriate vaccine, because the vaccination of children aged 5-11 years provides for a different dosage than for children over 12 years old and adults. In the near future, this vaccine will appear in Ukraine.
Clearly about changes in the vaccination campaign, in particular, updating vaccination schedules – infographic of the Ministry of Health
What is the situation with the incidence of COVID-19 in Ukraine
Since the beginning of September, an increase in the number of new cases of infection and hospitalizations has been recorded in Ukraine, and the Ministry of Health reports the beginning of a new wave of the disease. Over the past week, almost 37 thousand new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were detected, 90 patients died from complications, and 6273 patients were hospitalized in medical facilities. At the same time, over the past week, 81,037 people were vaccinated: 33.3% received the first dose, 8% the second, 56.5% the first booster and 2.2% the second booster. Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent the disease and prevent the severe consequences of its course.
“The situation with coronavirus disease is still under control, but we must be prepared for a further increase in the number of cases. One of the important stages of this readiness is vaccination, primarily for risk groups. In order for as many people as possible to protect themselves from hospitalization and death due to COVID-19, we are allowing a second dose to everyone, however, we especially advise people with chronic diseases and people aged 60+ to take it. Separately, I would like to note that vaccination is now not only about one’s own protection, being vaccinated means not creating a burden on hospitals that should save the lives of our military, ”
Igor Kuzin,
Deputy Minister of Health – Chief State Sanitary Doctor
List of points and centers, as well as contacts for making an appointment for vaccination – at the link .
- Almost 5 million CoronaVac vaccines, about 400 thousand doses of Pfizer vaccine and 30 thousand Janssen vaccines are available in Ukraine.
- Recall that almost 37 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were detected over the past week. 90 infected people died, 6273 patients were hospitalized.
