The use of booster shots does not guarantee the safety of an individual against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a health expert said on Thursday, Aug. 26.
In a press briefing, National Adverse Events Following Immunization Committee (NAEFIC) Chair Dr. Lulu Bravo said that having booster shots is still not safe if 90 percent of people in the country are still not vaccinated.
"Maski na mag booster kayo eh hindi padin po ligtas sapagkat ang variant na-dedevelop kung hindi pa po bakunado ang 70 to 90 percent of our citizens (Even if you use a booster, it is still not safe because the variant will be developed if 70 to 90 percent of our citizens are still not vaccinated)," she said.
"Maraming nagsasabi - booster, booster, eh hindi po iyon eh. Hindi nga natin alam kung ang variant na darating sainyo ay yung mas malakas o mahina (A lot of people were saying - booster, booster, eh that's not it. We really don't know if the variant that will come to you is the stronger or weaker one), Bravo added.
The coronavirus pandemic will be over only if the country will be able to vaccinate 90 percent of its people, she reiterated.
"Importante na mas maraming mabakunahan nang sa ganon ay hindi rin madevelop ang mas madaming variant (It's important to vaccinated more people so that there won't be any more variants that will developed)," Bravo said.
"Hindi na makakapagtransmit kapag 90 percent nabakakunahan na ("It can no longer be transmitted once 90 percent have been vaccinated) What we have to do right now is really to vaccinate as many people as possible," she added.
The health expert also assured the public that all COVID-19 vaccines available in the country were properly evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
"Ang bakuna na i-napprovan ng ating FDA lahat 'yan ay proven safe and effective kapag binigay sa publiko (The vaccines that were approved by the FDA are all proven safe and effective when given to the public," she said.
Bravo also noted that not all vaccines are created equal as their percentages of efficacy and duration of immunity differs.
"Wag na muna isipin ang gano katagal ang mabibigay ng bakuna kaya mas importante mabakunahan ang lahat (Don't think about how long the vaccine will take, it is more important to get everyone vaccinated)," she stressed
Bravo, meanwhile, urged the public to get vaccinated as it is also proven effective in preventing hospitalization and deaths of patients infected with the deadly disease.
"Garantisado na mild ang inyong magiging sakit. Marami na po akong nakita sa aming adverse event (Your illness is guaranteed to be mild. I've seen a lot in our adverse events.)," she said, adding only those with comorbidities suffered from severe or critical illness.
As of Wednesday, Aug. 25, the country recorded 13,573 new COVID-19 cases. Of which, 15,820 have already recovered, while 228 have died.