The chances of experiencing side effects following a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination are higher for individuals who receive a heterologous booster shot, the head of the country’s Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) said on Monday, Nov. 22.

Following the national government’s decision to further expand the country’s vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Department of Health held a ceremonial booster vaccination at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City, inoculating senior citizens and the immunocompromised.

During the ceremony, VEP head Dr. Nina Gloriani discussed the homologous and heterologous booster vaccination.

"Yung sa homologous, dahil alam na niya yung naging experience niya doon sa first two...wala tayong gaanong issue doon (For the homologous, because the recipient knows his experience for the first two...we don’t have much problem with that)," she said.

Homologous vaccination means that the same brand of vaccine used from the first two doses will once again be given to the recipient.

"Doon po sa heterologous na boosters, ‘yun ang may data na mas marami ang nagkakaroon ng reaction. ‘Yung reactogenicity is higher, hindi naman talaga nagiging severe (For the heterologous boosters, the data showed that more people are having reaction. The reactogenicity is higher, it is not severe)," Gloriani explained.

"Mild to moderate pa rin, pero mas marami ang nakakaramdam ng side effects kapag iba ang itinurok sa kanila a third time (Mild to moderate symptoms, but more people are experiencing side effects if they are inoculated with different brand for a third time)," she added.

Meanwhile, heterologous vaccination refers to the cross-mixing of vaccine brands from the first pair of doses received. The VEP also disclosed that heterologous vaccination increases the vaccine’s efficacy.

To date, health workers, senior citizens, and those with immunocompromised individuals are given booster shots. (Charie Mae F. Abarca)