The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has urged the public anew to get vaccinated against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) amid the threat of the highly transmissible variants.

FDA Director General Eric Domingo made the call during President Duterte’s televised public briefing, noting that the benefits of getting the vaccines outweigh the risks.

“Ang pakiusap pa rin natin sa kababayan natin, 'pag ready na at mayroon nang bakuna na tinawag na kayo, magpabakuna po kayo (We we continuously tell the public is that when you are ready and there is a vaccine, please get vaccinated),” Domingo said.

The country’s food and drug regulatory body chief stressed that people must complete the two doses because the possibility of getting infected “drastically goes down once you complete the doses.”

“In between your first dose and your time you're fully vaccinated, huwag niyo ring kakalimutan lalo na iyong ating minimum health standards dahil importante po ‘yun (don't forget especially the minimum health standards because they are important),” he said.

Meanwhile, the FDA chief pointed out that the vaccines that have been approved for use are “highly effective against severe illness and death.”

While the new coronavirus variants could affect the vaccines’ efficacy, Domingo explained that protection against severe COVID-19 and death of the vaccines that are currently available will still be retained.