Muscat: Several doctors in the Sultanate of Oman have underlined the importance of urgently receiving the booster dose of vaccines for the target group of 18 years and over, especially due to the spread of Omicron in the world in general and in the Sultanate of Oman in particular.
Dr. Faryal al Lawati, senior consultant of infectious diseases and Head of the Infectious Diseases Unit at the Royal Hospital, "There is an urgent need at the present time for a third or the booster dose, as the effectiveness of two doses of vaccination against the Omicron may reach be only 30 percent."
Dr. Zaid bin Al Khattab al Hinai, infectious diseases Consultant at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, "Field studies in more than one country confirm that the booster dose increases the protection rate against Omicron to around 70-75 percent."
Dr. Zakaria bin Yahya al Balushi, consultant of Infectious Diseases and Infectious Diseases at the Royal Hospital: "The third dose is one of the important strategies to control the virus in society and maintain epidemiological stability, especially since the Omicron mutant is spreading rapidly compared to the Delta mutant and is expected to be one of the dominant mutants in the world.
Dr. Reda bin Issa al Lawati, an internist at the Royal Hospital, said, "Mutations may give show characteristics to the virus or take away other properties from it."
As per the MOH guidelines, the target groups with the booster dose are those who have completed three months from the date of receiving the last dose and including, older people 65 years, two healthcare and frontline workers aged 50 years and above, patients with chronic diseases from the age of 18 years and above, especially if they are not well controlled.
These include patients with chronic lung disease, kidney disease, including those who are undergoing dialysis, diabetes with glycated hemoglobin (hbA1c) above 7.6 percent, blood pressure, genetic blood diseases, liver diseases, and obesity with a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2.
The target groups for the third dose must have completed three months from the date of receiving the last dose are immunocompromised patients aged 12 years and over it includes patients undergoing cancer treatment, and patients who have undergone bone marrow or organ transplants. immunodeficiency diseases, and people living with HIV and patients receiving immunosuppressive or biologic agents.
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