People in South Africa will soon be able to receive a booster dose of the Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Covid-19 vaccine.

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority approved a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for use in adults earlier this week.

The booster dose will be given six months after an individual has received their second dose.

The first qualifiers for Pfizer booster doses in South Africa will be people aged 60 years and older. While they will be eligible for a booster shot from 28 December, the department plans to launch this rollout in January 2022.

Booster shots of the J&J vaccine are currently only being offered to healthcare workers as part of the Sisonke 2 study. This offer will end on 17 December.

Other people who received the one-dose J&J vaccine, will  likely be able to get a booster dose before Christmas.

The department officially announced this week that adolescents aged 12-17 years are now able to receive their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Individuals with severe immunocompromised conditions, 12 years and older, are also eligible to receive an additional (third) dose of the Pfizer vaccine.