The Ministry of Health announced that every Brazilian citizen who received the Janssen vaccine will have to take a second dose. Until this moment, it was the only immunizing agent considered as a single dose in the country. The United States, on the recommendation of the regulatory agency, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), had already started the second application of the vaccine in those who took Janssen at least two months ago.
Almost 5 million Brazilians received the first dose of Janssen and now, having completed two months of the application, they will already have the right to receive the second dose. Afterwards, after five months, these people will still receive the third dose. The reinforcement will be given with Pfizer.
Janssen began to be distributed in Brazil in the months of June and July, so many people would already be able to receive it, it will only be necessary to wait for the distribution of the folder. By the end of December, the Ministry of Health estimates it will receive more than 36 million doses of Janssen.
It has also been reported that the entire adult population, aged 18 and over, who has taken a second dose of AstraZeneca, Pfizer or Coronavac for at least five months can now take an extra dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The application of the booster dose follows the logic of cross-immunization, which aims to increase protection through a combination of different vaccine platforms. Anyone who has taken two doses of Coronavac should get a third from Pfizer, Janssen or AstraZeneca; if the person has taken two doses of Astrazeneca, he has to take Pfizer; if you received two from Pfizer, the backup must be AstraZeneca or Janssen.
Reference: CNN Brasil
