The COVID-19 fall booster has arrived in the Cayman Islands, and the roll out of the vaccine will officially begin on Monday, 10 October 2022.

While everyone ages 16 and up can benefit from the fall booster, the programme will be rolled out in phases to ensure that priority groups are able to access the booster first.

Priority groups are:

• Elderly residents (70+)
• Frontline Health Care Workers
• Individuals with underlying medical conditions (16-49)
• Adults 50+

The COVID-19 fall booster vaccination schedule will be disseminated by HSA’s Public Health Department and will indicate which groups are eligible based on the roll out.

The first groups to be served will be elderly residents in care homes, elderly residents ages 70 and up and frontline heath care workers.  Residents are encouraged to stay tuned to official sources for the most up to date information on eligibility and access to the vaccination clinics.

Studies show a decrease in COVID-19 immunity 3 months after a vaccine, especially among the elderly and immunocompromised.

Boosters help to increase the body’s immune response which means longer lasting protection against infection.

Once the priority groups have received their fall boosters, the programme will be opened up to include all residents ages 16 and over.

The fall booster programme will be rolled out using the Moderna (bivalent) vaccine for adults ages 18+, and the Pfizer vaccine for youth ages 16-17.

Research has shown that a booster of a different vaccine causes similar or higher antibody responses than a booster of the same vaccine.

Research also indicates that the orginal boosters remain effective against COVID-19 variants, and that the timeliness within which boosters are administered is more important than the type of booster offered.

Eligible individuals wishing to get the fall booster will need to bring the following documents to the booster clinic:

• Vaccination card or digital vaccination certificate showing the date of the last dose/booster
• Government issued photo identification showing date of birth
• Facemasks (please bring your own)

For more information, and for the vaccination and booster schedules, log on to hsa.ky/coronavirus  or scan the QR code below.

Key message: Boosters minimise the chance of severe COVID-19 illness that requires hospitalisation and, subsequently, may lead to death.