DOH: Guidelines on 2nd booster for general public being finalized

These are Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines. (File photo: Kristine Wook/Unsplash)

MANILA – The administration of the second booster shot of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines for the general public would be implemented soon, a health official said Wednesday.

“Ang atin pong ibibigay ay second boosters para sa mgahealthy adults, ‘yun pong mga 18 years old and above na hindi pa po nakaka-second booster (We’ll be giving second boosters for healthy adults, those who are 18 years old and above who haven’t received their second booster [shots]),” said Department of Health (DOH) officer in charge Maria Rosario Vergeire in a media forum.

Based on the Health Technology Assessment Council’s recommendation and the updated emergency use authorization list from the Food and Drug Administration at least three Covid-19 jabs could be used as second booster shots.

These are Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines.

“Sa ngayon po binabalangkas pa ang ating mga guidelines, nai-present na ito sa executive committee ng Department of Health last week, nagbigay kami ng mga komento ngayon fina-finalize na (The guidelines are being drafted, these have been presented to the executive committee of the DOH last week, we have given our comments, it’s being finalized) so hopefully within the week we can issue, and we can start the implementation the soonest time possible,” she said.

As of March 16, more than 78.4 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated. More than 23.8 million individuals have received their first booster dose and almost 4.4 million have received their second booster shots.

Of the fully vaccinated population, almost 7.2 million are senior citizens; 10.2 million are adolescents; and 5.6 million are children.