Bahrain has announced it will move forward with Covid-19 booster shots, following in the footsteps of other vaccination programmes.
Its National Taskforce for Combating Coronavirus announced that following the success of the national vaccination campaign, a third booster dose will be provided.
A new vaccination schedule is being prepared, based on age groups and vulnerability to the virus, said the taskforce.
The UAE, Israel, UK and US are all preparing booster vaccination programmes or have already started giving third shots to some members of the population.
For groups most at risk from the virus, Bahraini health authorities will administer a third dose six months after the second.
Groups in the at-risk category include over 60s, people who are obese and those with immunodeficiency conditions.
Frontline medical personnel will also be prioritised for a booster shot.
The rest of the population will be eligible for a booster dose within 12 months of their second shot.
Taskforce member and infectious diseases expert Manaf Al Qahtani said that Bahrain is a world leader in vaccination efforts – with 70 per cent of the eligible population having received at least one dose of a vaccine.
Dr Al Qahtani said all the vaccinations approved by Bahrain have proven effective against the virus and its mutations by enhancing immunity and reducing the severity of symptoms in the event of infection.