The expert panel of the National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 has recommended administering a fourth dose of the vaccine or second booster shot to senior citizens and people with comorbidities.
NTF against Covid-19 Adviser Dr. Teodoro “Ted” J. Herbosa on Friday, March 4, said the recommendation of the panel has already been forwarded to their technical working group.
“Hintayin na lang natin maaprubahan ito ng ating IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) para ma-implement na (Let’s just wait for IATF to approve this so that we can implement it),” he said during a “Laging Handa” briefing.
Senior citizens and people with comorbidities face a significant risk of developing severe illness should they get infected with Covid-19, per experts.
In the country, Herbosa said, around 2 million senior citizens still remain unvaccinated against Covid-19.
With this, he urged unvaccinated senior citizens, people with comorbidities, and the public to get inoculated against the dreaded disease during the conduct of the Fourth National Vaccination Day on March 10 and 11.
Herbosa said that Covid-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
On March 1, the Department of Health said over 63 million Filipinos have been vaccinated against Covid-19, a year after the government started the inoculation program.