NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has strengthened its COVID-19 booster shot recommendation to include all adults as the new omicron variant continues to spread.
The CDC noted that individuals over 18-years or older who received Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna should receive a booster shot at least six months after the initial vaccination.
Those individuals who received the one jab Johnson & Johnson shot should receive a booster at least two months after the initial vaccination.
The CDC’s recommendations now allow for mix and match dosing for COVID-19 booster shots for the three available vaccines.
The organization indicated that even if an individual does not receive a booster shot, everyone is still considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-shot series, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine.
This comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) identified the new COVID-19 omicron strain as a variant of concern.
Early evidence suggests the variant, which was first identified in South Africa, could have a higher re-infection risk, though studies are still ongoing.
The omicron variant has already been found in at least a dozen countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany, with reports identifying most of the cases in travelers returning from the southern African region.
The Ministry of Health has advised that new travel restrictions have been placed on eight southern African countries amidst the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant called omicron.
Those countries include Botswana; Eswatini (formerly Swaziland); Lesotho; Malawi; Mozambique; Namibia; Zimbabwe; and South Africa.
The ministry indicated that as of November 29, non-Bahamian citizens and residents who have traveled to, through, or from those countries within the last 14 days will not be able to enter The Bahamas.
Meanwhile, Bahamian citizens, residents, and individuals with work permits returning will be required to quarantine for 14 days at their own expense and will undergo screening as mandated by the ministry.
This advisory applies to individuals who are vaccinated or unvaccinated, the statement noted.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed another 10 cases of coronavirus in the Bahamas, all of which were recorded on New Providence. The total cases now stand at 22,773, of which 290 cases remain active.
There are currently 146,441 fully vaccinated people in the country, which includes Bahamians and residents who were fully vaccinated abroad and registered their jabs with the ministry.
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