Cape Verde Now Requires a Booster Dose Against Covid -19

It was announced on April 1 by the Government that Cape Verde will require a booster dose to consider the vaccination scheme against covid-19 complete.

The measure, approved on March 31 by the Government, enters into force on April 15 and provides for a period of validity of the vaccination certificate of up to 270 days (nine months) after taking the second dose of one of the vaccines against covid-19, according to the announcement made at a press conference by the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Filomena Gonçalves.

This resolution that approves the change of the complete vaccination schedule against covid-19, for the purpose of issuing the covid vaccination certificate, now integrates the additional booster dose.

Certificates attesting to the completion of the primary vaccination schedule will be considered up to 270 days, nine months after the date of administration of the last dose: second or single dose, once the period of 270 days has been completed, certificates will be accepted confirming the additional booster dose of a vaccine against covid-19 with authorization to enter the Cape Verdean market, that is, those who have already completed nine months from the date of administration of the last dose: second or single dose, should take the booster dose to effect of issuing the Covid vaccination certificate.

Vaccination certificates attesting to a booster dose will not be subject to a validity period, while those issued to date remain in force until the end of their validity period.

According to the content of the announced resolution, approved by the Council of Ministers, on inter-island and international air and sea travel to Cape Verde, passengers must have a vaccination certificate against covid-19 within a period of 270 days or with a booster dose after nine months, or alternatively, as in the other cases still in force in Cape Verde, the possibility of presenting a covid-19 recovery certificate or negative PCR test up to 72 hours or antigen 48 hours remains, measures that do not apply to children under 12 years of age. Passengers in transit, stopover or transfer, as long as they do not cross the national border, are exempt from the presentation of COVID Certificates or the presentation of proof of carrying out a test to screen for infection by SARS-CoV-2.

As announced at the press conference, this change is an attitude of prudence and caution with an eye on the sustainability of the country’s economic recovery.

The application of the booster dose has already started and, to date, 55,486 (15%) adults across the country have been administered.

Resolution (n.º 36/2022), which approves the change of the complete vaccination schedule against covid-19, was published in the BO 37_I series on 04/07/2022.