Public urged to take new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine: Bahrain

Public urged to take new bivalent COVID-19 vaccine: Bahrain

Citizens and residents are being urged to take the newly-developed Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent vaccine to combat Covid-19 and its mutants, following concerns over a global surge in infections as winter flu cases also stretch health services. The Health Ministry yesterday said those aged 12 and above can opt for the new booster, available at all primary healthcare centres across the country. It stressed that there was no need for registration and urged young and old alike and particularly those in the vulnerable categories to take the immunity-boosting vaccines. The authority had earlier asserted that the bivalent vaccine not only targeted the original virus strain, but also the highly-contagious Omicron variant to provide ‘broad protection against Covid-19 and its mutations’. Members of the public can take the regular booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines nine months after their last jab, while those at risk can opt for the booster six months after the previous injection. These include people suffering from weak immunity, diabetes, heart disease, respiratory diseases, cancerous tumours and obesity. A list of primary healthcare centres providing the new Pfizer bivalent booster shot is available on the ministry’s website, https://healthalert.gov.bh. Health professionals have also rallied to urge the elderly and those in