NTF reminds anew of importance of 2nd dose

MANILA – Receiving full vaccine doses will provide the best protection against Covid-19 infection, especially with yet another virus variant confirmed by health experts.

Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against Covid-19, noted that the Delta strain, also known as the Indian variant, is more severe and transmissible compared to the original virus.

Citing experts, he said the Delta variant has “2.6 times increased transmissibility” and “likely increased severity” than the original strain.

“‘Yung mga bakuna po, pag naka-double dose na po tayo, mayroon tayong proteksyon (Once we complete receiving the vaccine doses, we can be protected),” he said during the pre-recorded “Talk to the People” address of President Rodrigo Duterte aired Monday night.

Galvez reiterated the reminder to complete two doses against Covid-19.

“Nakikita po natin na pagka-full dose, at least mayroon tayong added protection (We see that once we get full doses, at least we can have added protection),” he said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said a delayed second dose is still more important than missing it.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s early by a few days or late by a few days or even a couple of weeks. It’s important to go back and get that second dose because the first dose actually presents this new antigen to the immune system to prime it. And the second dose is the one that really gives a boost to the immune system,” WHO chief scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan said in an online talk in February.