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(CNN Spanish) --
The Puerto Rico Department of Health reported this Wednesday that the second booster dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines against covid-19 is now available on the island for adults over 50 years of age and people immunocompromised 12 years or older.
The announcement comes a day after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it had extended the emergency use authorization for both vaccines for these two groups.
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According to a press release from the Puerto Rico Department of Health, this second booster dose can be administered four months after receiving the first.
“We are continuing our vaccination efforts and our providers are ready to administer the second booster.
The vaccine has shown to improve protection, especially in this period where the omicron variant has been more transmissible,” said Carlos Mellado, secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Health.
In February, the authorities confirmed the detection on the island of a positive case of the BA.2 version of the omicron variant of covid-19.
The Department of Health confirmed that the BA.2 subvariant is the third from omicron detected in Puerto Rico, after previously identifying BA.1 and BA.1.1.
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The World Health Organization has advised that the BA.2 subvariant should not be reclassified as a separate Greek-letter-named coronavirus variant, but should remain part of omicron and be monitored as a variant of concern.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has noted that adults who received a primary dose and a booster dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least four months ago now may receive a second booster dose of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
According to the Department of Health, so far, 59.4% of the island's residents have been vaccinated with the first booster dose.
Covid-19booster dosePuerto Rico
