Malacañang urged the public to not share disinformation about coronavirus (COVID-19) booster shots, stressing that the additional jab provides more protection against disease.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles made the statement after a video clip of President Duterte saying two doses of COVID-19 vaccines are enough is being shared by some groups to campaign against the administration of COVID-19 booster shots.
"Tama na 'yang dalawang doses (Two doses are sufficient)," the President said in the clip.
In his statement Monday morning, January 24, Nograles acknowledged the statement but said the clip should be viewed in the proper context.
"At that point, 21 million of our countrymen were fully vaccinated, and our priority was to increase this number, which is why the provision of booster shots had yet to be approved," he said.
The acting Palace spokesman said the situation now is different with the government approving the recommendation of health experts to administer booster shots to fully vaccinated individuals.
"We had ample supplies of vaccines and a substantial percentage of our population was already fully vaccinated," he explained.
Nograles urged the public to not share disinformation and, instead, get their booster shots.
"We reiterate that there is clear evidence that COVID-19 booster shots provide additional protection against the virus, and urge the public to refrain from sharing disinformation that will endanger the lives of our kababayan, compromise our efforts to contain COVID-19, and undermine our campaign to beat the disease," he said.
To further encourage the public to get their booster shots, President Duterte last month enjoined the public to "take advantage" of the country’s sufficient supply of vaccines against COVID-19 and get their booster shots to control the spread of the highly-transmissible Omicron variant.