A total of 2,488 healthcare workers nationwide were able to receive their booster jab, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Friday, Nov. 19.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that some of the booster dose recipients experienced mild adverse reactions.

“Meron po tayong kaunti na nagkaroon ng reaction--about two percent of all of these and all were mild reactions such as pain in the vaccination site, lagnat, sumakit ang ulo, meron iba na tumaas ang blood pressure (Few of them had experienced reactions----about two percent--and all were mild reactions such as pain in the vaccination site, fever, headache, while others had high blood pressure),” she said.

“Lahat ay namanage accordingly and they were all sent home na they were well. Wala tayong serious na adverse events na naitala para dito sa mga nakareceived na ng booster doses (All of them were managed accordingly and they were all sent home. They were all well. We have no serious adverse events recorded for those who have already received booster doses),” she added.

The Philippines started its booster vaccination program among healthcare workers last Nov. 17. There were about 1.6 million healthcare workers in the country, the DOH said.

Immunocompromised individuals

The DOH, together with the local vaccine experts, are currently drafting the guidelines for the administration of additional doses for the elderly population and immunocompromised individuals, said Vergeire.

Vergeire said that they will be specific about the comorbidities or preexisting illnesses of immunocompromised individuals who will be eligible to receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

“Very specific tayong naglagay ng ganyan sa guidelines dahil ito ay adopted natin sa recommendation ng WHO SAGE at ito ay nakapaloob din sa ating emergency use authority (We have put that in the guidelines very specifically because we have adopted the WHO SAGE recommendation and it is also included in our emergency use authority),” said the DOH spokesperson.

The DOH said that immunocompromised individuals have either of the following conditions: autoimmune disease, HIV, cancer/malignancy, transplant patients, undergoing steroid treatment, and patients with poor prognosis/bed-ridden patients.

As soon as the guidelines for the said specific sectors will be completed, the DOH will start providing additional doses to senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals.

“Gagawin lang po namin ang guidelines and we will be announcing through our National Vaccination Cluster kung kailan po maguumpisa ang pagbabakuna ng booster or third doses para sa ating mga nakakatanda or A2 and those individuals with immunocompromised states (We will just finish the guidelines and we will be announcing through our National Vaccination Cluster when the booster or third doses for our seniors or A2 and those individuals with immunocompromised states will start),” she said.