Second booster dose for health workers (A1) and the elderly (A2) to follow only after WHO, CDC approval
(Eagle News) –- The Philippine government will start next week the rollout of the second booster dose of the vaccines against Covid-19, but only for the immunocompromised.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that they will initially limit the administration of the second booster dose for the “immunocompromised” individuals, or those who have primary immune deficiencies or who have weak immune systems.
They include cancer patients, individuals who have received organ transplants, those who are undergoing chronic dialysis treatment, HIV/AIDS patients, and similarly situated persons with diagnosed weak immune systems.
Duque said that the second booster dose for senior citizens and even for health workers would only proceed once the implementing guidelines for this are completed.
For now, those to be given booster doses next week are limited to “immunocompromised individuals.”
“Iyong patungkol sa ating pag-rollout ng second booster dose, ito ay nililimitahan muna natin para doon sa mga indibidwal na immunocompromised,” Duque said in a Laging Handa press briefing on Friday, April 22.
“So, sa ngayon, ang aking inaprubahan batay sa rekomendasyon ng Health Technology Assessment Council ay iyong second booster dose para lamang sa mga immunocompromised,” he said.
“So, lalabas itong lahat sa ating implementing guidelines na binubuo na ngayon sa kasalukuyan para next week ay ma-rollout na natin ito. So uulitin ko lang, hindi pa kasama rito iyong healthcare frontliners at saka iyong senior citizens, only for the immunocompromised individuals,” the health chief stressed.
-Implementing guidelines needed-
Duque said that the second booster dose for health workers or the A1 priority group, and the senior citizens or the A2 priority group, will only push through once international health experts have finished their assessment on this.
“Iyong para sa A1 or healthcare workers at doon naman din para sa mga senior citizens, next week pag-aaralan, susuriin pa ng ating Health Technology Assessment Council,” he said.
He said that the data coming from the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United Kingdom Joint Commission on Vaccination and Immunization on their studies if a second booster dose for health workers and the elderly is needed, would also be considered.
“So matapos nilang masuri ang mga datos at kapag sabihin nila na okay na, rollout na tayo ng second booster dose for A1 and A2 ay gagawin din po natin iyan kapag nabuo na rin natin ang implementing guidelines,” Duque said,
(Eagle News Service)