The Department of Health (DOH) reiterated its stand that the use of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine booster shots is not yet officially recommended at this point.
“Unang-una, kaya hindi pa mairekomenda ang booster doses, aside from equity of course as a major consideration, is its safety (First of all, booster doses cannot be recommended yet---aside from equity of course as a major consideration, is its safety),” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday, August 13.
“Hindi pa kumpleto ang ating mga datos ukol diyan o mga ebidensya na meron tayo sa ating mga eksperto, kaya hindi pa iyan nirerecommend ng ating gobyerno (We don't have complete data or evidence from our experts with regards to that, so our government has not recommended that yet),” she added.
Vergeire made this reiteration amid reports that a fully immunized man was vaccinated again using another brand of vaccine.
“We are trying to get the details of this. We saw this in the social media paltform...Kinakausap po natin yung vaccination center (we are now coordinating with the vaccination center),” said the DOH spokesperson.
Vergeire, meanwhile, said that there is no legal sanction for those who are doing this supposed “double vaccination.”
“Wala naman talaga tayong legal na parang (We don’t have any legal) sanction for these individuals who are receiving this double vaccines or aside from (being) fully vaccinated already,” said Vergeire.
However, Vergeire stressed the importance of equal distribution of vaccines.
“It is more of moral and ethical. Kung ano man po ang binakuna sa inyo, meron pong mga taong hindi nabakunahan dahil sa inyo (Whatever (extra) vaccine you got, there are people who have not been vaccinated because of you),” she said.
“Kung tayo po ay fully vaccinated na ng isang bakuna, huwag muna pumunta sa direksyon na nagpapalagay uli ng panibagong bakuna (If we are already fully vaccinated, let's not go on that direction of considering to take another vaccine),” she added.
“Kailangan muna mabakunahan yung mga taong hindi pa nabibigyan ng bakuna para pare-pareho tayong may proteksyon (We need to give vaccines to those who are still unvaccinated so that we can have equal protection),” she furthered.
Meanwhile, Vergeire urged people who got fully vaccinated twice to immediately report if they experience any adverse effects.
“Kahit na kayo ay lumabag doon sa pamantayan at patakaran ng gobyerno, kami ay may obligasyon pa rin na imonitor kayo (Even if you violate our standards and government policies, we still have an obligation to monitor you),” said Vergeire.
“Kung saka-sakali na kayo ay magkaka reaksyon dito sa ating nagbakuna ng doble, kayo ay agad-agad tumawag doon sa ating vaccine site na pinagbakunahan niyo o malapit na facilties for health, maari kayong magpakonsulta (If you happen to have a reaction because of double vaccination, immediately call the vaccination site where you were inoculated or call nearby health facilities for consultation),” she added.