MANILA – Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Wednesday that health experts have not yet recommended giving a third dosage or “booster” shots to people who are completely vaccinated against Covid-19.
Vergeire stated during an online town hall meeting that the most of the population has yet to receive their vaccine doses, due to a limited vaccine supply.
“Lagi po natin iisipin itong bakuna po, marami pa po sa ating mga kababayan ang hindi nakakatanggap (Let’s be reminded that many of us are not yet vaccinated),” Vergeire said. “Sa ngayon po, sumunod po tayo sa siyensya dahil ang science hindi pa po nakakapagbigay ng (Let’s base our actions on science because until now science has not provided) full evidence regarding these booster doses for Covid-19 vaccines.”
The possibility of booster shots has emerged as the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant and outbreak infections raise issues about whether those who have been immunized may require a third shot.
Even the World Health Organization does not suggest booster injections at this time, although it is studying developing information on the necessity for the timing of an extra vaccine dosage.
It claims that booster programs will further deprive low-income countries of life-saving vaccines, despite the fact that the vast majority of the world’s population remains unvaccinated.
Local health officials told the public that all coronavirus vaccines available in the country protect against variants, but people must also follow health regulations.
“Hindi po kaya sugpuin ang transmission sa pamamagitan ng bakuna lamang, ang pagsunod po natin sa (Transmission can’t be stopped through vaccination only, our adherence to) minimum public health standards at PDITR strategy ay critical and important in arresting the pandemic,” Vergeire said.
According to Food and Drug Administration data as of Aug. 1, there were only 116 cases of breakthrough infections among fully vaccinated Filipinos, or 0.0013 percent of 9.1 million fully vaccinated people.
In its vaccination program, the Philippines uses six vaccine brands: Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Pfizer, Janssen, and Moderna.
