John Culatto
ELDERLY and vulnerable people will get the chance to continue to get COVID-19 boosters in Gibraltar after a UK regulator approved their use.
The Rock’s Director of Public Health Dr Helen Carter said the regulators had ‘reassured’ her they were still effective at fighting the deadly coronavirus.
Even though the Gibraltar Health Authority (GHA) has stopped publishing COVID-19 statistics, two new deaths occurred in March after an outbreak at an elderly home.
It prompted the GHA to launch its Spring vaccine booster campaign.
Gibraltar’s health service had at first set the deadline for new boosters at April 27.
But the latest decision by UK regulators that the vaccine shots would still be effective means the GHA will continue to distribute them.
Elderly people over 75-years-old, anyone with a weakened immune system or those living in care and nursing homes can take the jab.
They can just walk into the primary care centre beside the hospital from 1-4pm every weekday to get the extra protection.
“I am confident that these vaccines are still effective as we have been reassured by the regulators,” Dr Carter said.
“This is not the first time expiry dates have been extended so my advice remains that those over 75 years old and people with a weakened immune system should take the vaccine as it will still provide an extra layer of protection”.
Over 40,000 people received three vaccinations in Gibraltar for a disease that killed 113 people since the pandemic started in March 2020.
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