The Covid-19 vaccination booster programme is set to kick off on Tuesday among healthcare workers who took part in the original Sisonke study. 

The SA Medical Research Council and the health department wants to get the boosters in before the fourth wave of the pandemic, expected to start in December, to protect the healthcare workers. 

The department explained that, at the moment, boosters would only be available to healthcare workers who took part in the Sisonke trial. 

They will receive an invitation by SMS on the number they used to enrol for the first part of the study, and would be required to give consent online again via a form on the EVDS. 

Healthcare workers who wanted the booster and who may have changed their contact number, must call the national hotline on 0800 029 999 to have it updated.

The department stressed that healthcare workers who received an unauthorised dose of Pfizer must not go for the booster offered in the Sisonke trial as there was not enough data yet on the possible effects of mixing vaccines. 

The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority said therefore it is available to health care workers who: 

- Received a first dose of J&J through the Sisonke study;

- Are pregnant or breastfeeding. 

- After completing the consent form have received a new vaccination voucher number starting with the letters BD- (Booster Dose).