Booster for immunocompromised patients one-month after 2nd dose

COLOMBO (News 1st): Immunocompromised people could receive the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, one month after the second dose, Sri Lanka's Medical Research Institute said on Tuesday (Jan. 4). "People who are immunocompromised such as Cancer and transplant patients and those who are on steroids or on certain immunosuppressive drugs are recommended to receive the booster dose after one-month from the second dose, instead of waiting for three months," Dr. Nadeeka Janage, a Consultant Virologist at the Department of Virology of the Medical Research Institute told News 1st. The impact of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus could be minimized by enhancing the immunity of everyone, he added. However, Dr. Nadeeka Janage emphasized that the Omicron variant could spread rapidly even among the vaccinated community. He also noted that due to the high transmissibility of the Omicron variant, the rate of hospitalizations could increase.