The government's national task force on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) response has warned individuals who are trying to get more than the recommended two vaccine doses that their days are already numbered.

Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., vaccine czar and chief implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, said they have launched an investigation on vaccine hopping that has been happening in some parts of the country, particularly in Metro Manila.

Vaccine hoppers are individuals who register for vaccination in different cities to get more than two vaccine doses, he explained.

"Vaccine hopping is illegal and vaccine hoppers are immoral. Lahat ng bakuna ay itinuturing nating ginto at hindi ito basta-basta sinasayang dahil ang gusto natin lahat ng Pilipino ay mabakunahan (We treat all vaccines like gold and we don't want to waste it because we aim to vaccinate all Filipinos)," Galvez said in a statement on Saturday night, Aug. 14.

Galvez issued the remarks as the Quezon City government announced that it has filed charges against two individuals who received a third dose of COVID-19 shot.

According to the local government unit (LGU) of Quezon city, one of the suspects is a man who received two doses of Sinovac in Mandaluyong City on May 10 but availed of a Moderna shot in Quezon City last week.

The Quezon City LGU also bared that another man posted on Facebook that he had already been fully vaccinated with Sinovac but still received a booster shot of Pfizer. The social media post has since been deleted by the suspect.

The two suspects were held liable for violating Quezon City Ordinance No. SP-3032 series of 2021 or "An Ordinance Prohibiting COVID-19 Vaccine Fraud."

The ordinance, approved by Mayor Joy Belmonte last July 29, states under Section 3 that a fully vaccinated person "pretending to be unvaccinated for purposes of receiving additional unwarranted inoculations" shall be meted a P5,000 fine and detention of one to six months.

Galvez castigated vaccine hoppers whom he said are taking away the opportunity from other people, especially in geographically-isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs), to get an added layer of protection against COVID-19.

"Napakahirap na 'yong mga kababayan nating nasa far-flung areas at mga nasa GIDAs ay hindi pa nagkakaroon ng first dose tapos sila may third dose or boosters na. Unahin muna natin 'yong mga areas at mga tao na wala pang first dose (Some of our fellowmen in far-flung areas and in GIDAs don't even have their first dose and they have already their third dose or boosters. Let us porioritize areas and persons with no first dose)," he said.

He also cautioned authorities in mega vaccination sites such as the recently opened facilities at Nayong Pilipino, which can accommodate individuals from any city or province, to validate the vaccination status of those who are availing the free inoculation to prevent vaccine hoppers from exploiting government resources.