The Department of Health (DOH) said it is still collecting additional evidence before recommending the use of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to ensure the safety of the public.
“Sa ngayon wala pa tayong nakakalap pa na kumpleto na ebidensiya o siyensya that could guarantee that the third or booster dose can give as much protection to our individuals. Isa po iyan sa tinitingnan natin (So far, we have yet to gather complete evidence or science that could guarantee that the third or booster dose can give as much protection to our individuals. That is one of the things we are looking at),” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire on Friday, Sept. 17.
Vergeire said that the policies being crafted by the DOH should always be based on science.
Recently, Senator Nancy Binay and Iloilo 1st District Representative Janette Garin urged the government to provide booster doses to health workers to protect them against the Delta coronavirus variant.
“Kapag ang DOH ay nagrekomenda (When the DOH recommends), it is going to be based primarily on science and evidence. Kaya pinag aaralan po ng maigi ng ating mga eksperto (That is why our experts are studying it carefully),” she said.
“Tinitingnan natin maigi kung ano ang magiging dulot pag nagbigay tayo nitong third dose or nitong boosters dito sa ating (We are studying closely at what will happen if we give this third dose or its boosters here to our) healthcare workers and if it is really going to protect them,” she added.
At present, the DOH is aligned with the position of the World Health Organization (WHO), said Vergeire. The WHO is not yet recommending the use of booster shots due to equity issues.
“Base po sa WHO, ang kanilang pinagmumulan ay yung equity component nito dahil kapag nagbigay tayo ng booster doses, kailangan masiguro muna natin na nabibigyan na po natin yung mas nakakarami at lalong lalo na yung high risk sectors natin (According to the WHO, they are raising the issue of equity component because when we give booster doses, we must first make sure that majority, especially our high risk sectors have been provided with vaccines),” said Vergeire.