The head of the country's Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) is weighing in if a fourth coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine dose is still needed.
During the Laging Handa briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 15, Dr. Nina Gloriani, Chairperson of VEP, said immunocompromised individuals may receive up to four doses of COVID-19 vaccine, citing the recommendations of the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"Unofficially, yung pagbibigay ng fourth dose, napag-uusapan na namin. Yung fourth dose po, tama kayo, para sa mga immunocompromised (Unofficially, we're talking about giving fourth dose. The fourth dose, you're right, is for the immunocompromised individuals)," Gloriani said.
The vaccine expert noted that immunocompromised individuals could also receive up to fifth shot of COVID-19 vaccine.
"Yung mga immunocompromised, tatlo ang doses na kailangan. Ang primary series nila ay tatlong doses so ang fourth dose ang booster nila and in some aspect, kung talagang mababang-mababa ang kanilang response, pwede pa silang mag-second booster, meaning fifth dose (Those who are immunocompromised, three doses are needed. Their primary series is three doses, so the fourth dose is their booster and in some aspect, if their immune response is really low, they can still take a second booster, meaning fifth dose)," Gloriani added.
"Pero sa karamihan ng mga tao, hindi po natin yan nire-recommend sa ngayon (But we're not yet recommending a fourth dose for the majority of the public)," she stressed.