QCOSTARICA – The National Vaccination and Epidemiology Commission (CNVE) endorsed the start of the application of third doses of the COVID-19 vaccine starting Tuesday, December 14, to people over 65 years of age who have received the second dose at least six months prior.
Under the slogan ” “Reforzá tu escudo” (Reinforce your shield), the vaccination teams of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) will apply the third dose of the vaccine to people 65 years of age and over at health facilities between the 14th and the Dec. 24.
To receive the dose, you must provide your cedula (national ID), DIMEX or passport and vaccination card. The schedules and location of the vaccinations will be available at www.ccss.sa.cr/vacunacion.
Currently, the third dose of the covid-19 vaccine is being applied to workers in first responders who have more than 6 months after receiving their second dose; as well as residents and officials of long-stay homes, both those where elderly people and people with disabilities reside and who meet the period between doses.
Both authorities of the Ministry of Health and the CCSS explained that the age of the groups that will receive this third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will progressively decrease according to the availability of vaccines in each of the health centers and the indications of prioritization indicated by the National Commission for Vaccination and Epidemiology.
Even so, health centers may apply third doses to other age groups as part of their contingency plans in order to reduce the risk of vaccine loss and make better use of these.
People 58 years of age and over and over will receive the Pfizer vaccine, those in the 18 to 57 age group will receive the AstraZeneca vaccine.
In addition to the placement of third doses, the application of first doses will continue for people who have not yet started their schedule, depending on the availability of the vaccines, and vaccination schedules will be completed according to the schedule started: Pfizer in 3 weeks or AstraZeneca in 8 weeks.
Both the vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca-Oxford have been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of severe complications and the risk of death from Covid-19.
