PH records 516 COVID-19 ‘breakthrough infections’


Food and Drug Administration

The country recorded 516 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) breakthrough infections out of the more than 20 million people who were already fully vaccinated, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.

"What we see, it's 0.0025 percent...out of 20.3 million fully vaccinated individuals. So napakababa naman talaga compared sa general population ((So it's really low compared to the general population)," said FDA Director-General Rolando Enrique Domingo on Friday, Oct. 8.

Doimingo noted that this data was as of Sept. 26. To note, a breakthrough infection is the detection of COVID-19 in an individual more than 14 days after completion of all the recommended doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Of the total breakthrough infections, Domingo said that 14 people died.

"All of them were senior citizens except one. There was one person in the late 50's... Many of them had comorbidities like diabetes and hypertension," said Domingo.

The FDA chief reminded the people to still adhere to the health protocols even if they are already fully vaccinated.

"Even if we are already fully vaccinated, always maintain the health standards not just for ourselves but also for those in our households who are susceptible in getting severe COVID-19 and dying from it," he said.