Bahrain to begin giving new Covid jab as cases rise globally

Bahrain has become one of the first countries to offer the latest Pfizer XBB 1.5 booster shot as a defence against the coronavirus and its variants.

The World Health Organisation has reported a 52 per cent increase in new cases over the past four weeks, with more than 850,000 recorded.

With more than 3,000 fatalities, concerns have risen over the emergence of the JN.1 variant, which accounts for 44.1 per cent of Covid-19 cases globally.

JN.1 was listed as a separate “variant of interest” this week after it was identified in China, India and the US. The first case was recorded in the US in September.

The JN.1 variant is descended from the Omicron variant of Sars-CoV-2, although it has dozens of mutations.

Bahrain’s Health Ministry has announced that Pfizer XBB 1.5 vaccines will be available at several health centres.

For those aged over 12, the jab will be given at Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait Health Centre in Hidd, Jidhafs Health Centre, Sitra Health Centre, Youssef Engineer Health Centre and Mohammed Jassim Kanoo Health Centre, the ministry said.

Those aged between 5 and 11 will be able to receive the vaccine from December 27 at the Halat Bu Maher Health Centre, Hamad Kanoo Health Centre and Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah Health Centre.

Dr Mohammed Al Awadhi, director of public health at the ministry, said new booster vaccinations would enhance the immunity of people, especially groups at high risk of contracting the coronavirus.

Egypt’s Ministry of Health and Population issued notices outlining JN.1’s symptoms, although no cases have been detected there.

“We cannot say that major waves of Covid infections are returning, but the new variant is highly contagious and can infect even those who have been vaccinated,” said Dr Hossam Hosny, head of the Scientific Committee for Coronavirus Control at the Egyptian ministry.