​Lerato Mailoane
As of today, Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine booster shots will be administered to healthcare workers, who received their first dose under the Sisonke Study.
The Department of Health and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) said close to 500 000 Sisonke participants are be invited to participate.
In a statement, SAMRC said this study enables early access to a booster dose of the Janssen J&J vaccine ahead of a possible fourth wave.
The decision to give an additional dose of the vaccine is based on data showing the safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of a two-dose regimen, the council said.
The J&J COVID-19 ENSEMBLE 2 Vaccine Clinical Trial evaluated two doses of the Ad26COV2.S vaccine (Janssen J&J) given 56 days apart and showed 100% protection against severe or critical COVID-19 and 75% protection against symptomatic (moderate/severe) COVID-19 globally.
The booster shot was also shown to increase antibody levels.
Booster vaccinations will be provided at up to 400 public and private sector vaccination sites alongside the National Vaccination Programme.
All sites have a trained Sisonke Site Vaccination Champion who will be in close contact with a coordinating Clinical Research Site (CRS) investigator.
The Department of Health has to date also sent out to all Sisonke participants containing a link to an online consent form to receive the booster dose.
Sisonke 2 Booster vaccinations will be available until mid-December 2021.