‘Vaccine hopping’ immoral, illegal: NTF

MANILA – The government will run after fully inoculated individuals resorting to “vaccine hopping” for their booster shots.

National Task Force Against Covid-19 head Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. warned on Saturday that vaccine hopping, or the process of obtaining a jab in another local government unit after getting the required doses, is both illegal and immoral.

“Lahat ng bakuna ay itinuturing nating ginto at hindi ito basta-basta sinasayang dahil ang gusto natin ay lahat ng Pilipino ay mabakunahan (All vaccines are precious and it should not be wasted because we want to inoculate all Filipinos),” Galvez said in a statement, reacting to reports of fully inoculated individuals getting additional vaccine shots of their preferred brands.

He lamented that residents in far-flung areas or geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas have yet to get their initial doses, yet there are already some trying to get their booster shots.

In a separate virtual briefing on Friday, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said getting booster shots is not yet approved in the country.