THE Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (Sage) of the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a third dose of a vaccine against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) for immunocompromised individuals and adults 60 years old and above as part of an extended primary series.

The experts recommended that moderately and severely immunocompromised persons should be offered an additional dose of all vaccines with a WHO emergency use listing (EUL).

In their meeting on immunization from October 4 to 7, 2021, the experts noted that immunocompromised individuals “are less likely to respond adequately to vaccination following a standard primary vaccine series and are at high risk of severe Covid-19 disease.”

They also recommended that a third dose, either homologous (same vaccine) or heterologous (another kind of Covid-19 vaccine), be also given to older adults who received the Sinovac and Sinopharm inactivated vaccines.

“The use of a heterologous platforms vaccine for the additional dose may also be considered based on vaccine supply and access considerations,” the experts said in a briefing material sent to the media.

“When implementing this recommendation, countries should initially aim at maximizing two-dose coverage in that population, and thereafter administer the third dose, starting in the oldest age groups,” they added. (Marites Villamor-Ilano / SunStar Philippines)