New Zealand to Reduce Booster Interval to 4 Months from Jan. 5
New Zealand to Reduce Booster Interval to 4 Months from Jan. 5
(Bloomberg) -- New Zealand will reduce the interval between the second Covid-19 vaccine dose and a booster shot to four months from six as part of its response to the omicron variant.
People aged 18 or older who have had second shots of the vaccine at least four months ago will be eligible for a booster from Jan. 5, the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
The shorter interval means that more than 82% of vaccinated people in the country will be eligible for a booster by the end of February, Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, director general of health, said in the statement. Over 70% of people who were eligible for a booster in 2021 have already had the shot, according to the statement.
New Zealand had planned to gradually open its border, which has been closed to foreigners since March 2020, from January but has delayed the phased reopening until the end of February due to omicron. The government said that it wanted to give more booster shots before letting in more people.
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