Healthcare workers can choose which brand of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine they prefer to receive as a booster shot, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday, Nov. 17.
"The priority group A1 shall be given the option to choose whether he/she shall receive a homologous or a heterologous booster dose, depending on the availability of vaccine brands in the vaccination site," as stated on the guidelines on the administration of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses released by the DOH.
"The priority group A1 may choose to receive the same brand as his/her primary series (homologous booster) or another brand (heterologous booster)," it added.
The Philippines officially began to administer COVID-19 booster doses for healthcare workers (Priority A1) on Wednesday.
“Fully vaccinated healthcare workers are now eligible for booster shots starting today, Nov. 17,” the DOH said.
“Healthcare workers who have completed their primary series or six months after getting the second dose, can be inoculated with the following brands regardless of which vaccines taken in the first two doses,” it added.
If the healthcare worker prefers a type of vaccine as booster shot which is different from his or her primary dose series, he or she may receive the following:
-Those given with the Sinovac COVID-19 primary dose series may be given with AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine dose as a booster shot.
-Healthcare workers given AstraZeneca COVID-19 primary dose series may choose the following brands as their booster: Pfizer and Moderna.
-Medical frontliners who received Janssen vaccine may be given AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna as booster shots.
-Those who received Sputnik V as their primary series may be given AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna vaccine as their booster shot.
-Those who had Pfizer as their primary series may choose AstraZeneca or Moderna as their booster dose.
-Lastly, healthcare workers given with Moderna as their primary dose series may be given with AstraZeneca or Pfizer as their booster shot.