All brands of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines that are currently available in the country are “ideal” for all Filipinos, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday, May 21.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that there is no vaccine brand that “will be specific and most appropriate for any type of disease.”
“Lahat ng bakuna ay ideal sa bawat Filipino (All vaccines are ideal for every Filipino),” said Vergeire in a press briefing on Friday, May 21.
Vergeire said only those with autoimmune disease, HIV, cancer patients currently undergoing treatment, transplant patients, those undergoing steroid treatment, and patients who are bedridden should first get a medical clearance before they can be vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Wala naman pong sinabi, base sa mga pag-aaral, na meron pong mga bakuna na specific lang sa isang sakit----ito lang ang dapat ibigay sa sakit na ito. Wala tayong ganoong pag-aaral (Nothing has been said, based on studies, that there are vaccines that are specific to one disease. We don't have that kind of study),” she said.
“Marami po kaming nare-receive na anecdotal reports that specific physicians are giving these instructions to their patients na kailangan itong klaseng bakuna ang ibigay sa kanila dahil meron silang specific na sakit (We receive many anecdotal reports that specific physicians are giving these instructions to their patients that this type of vaccine needs to be given to them because they have a specific disease),” she added.
Vergeire encouraged the country’s medical societies to help the DOH in increasing the vaccine confidence among the public. She reminded the public that all COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
“Hindi po tayo dapat brand specific pagdating sa pagbabakuna. Alam po natin kung ano ang kailangan ng ating mga kababayan ngayon and that would be immediate protection (We should not be brand specific when it comes to vaccination. What our citizens need now is immediate protection),” she said.
“Ito po ay masusing naimbestigahan at napag-aralan ng ating mga eksperto and were all found to be safe and effective. So kung kayo ay eligible na, magpabakuna na po tayo para maprotektahan na po kayo sa sakit na COVID-19 (This was thoroughly evaluated and studied by our experts and were all found to be safe and effective. So if you are eligible, get vaccinated to protect yourself from COVID-19),” she added.