Fully vaccinated Filipinos should get booster shots against Covid-19 to further increase their protection against the viral disease, an official of the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) said.
"So, ini-encourage ko po ang lahat na while you have your primary dose series, magpa-booster po tayo. This will ensure na may level of protection pa rin tayo (I encourage everyone that while you have your primary dose series, you should also get the booster. This will ensure that we still have that level of protection)," said NVOC Co-Lead Dr. Kezia Lorraine Rosario.
"Most likely if matagal na kayong nabigyan ng primary dose series, ito po ay nag-wane na. So, if due na po kayo ng ating booster doses, please get your booster doses in your nearest vaccination sites or contact your local health units para mabigyan kayo ng mga vaccination (Most likely if you have been given the primary dose series, its effect wanes overtime. So, if you are already due for booster, please get your booster shot at your nearest vaccination sites or contact your local health units to get vaccinated)," she added.
Rosario said that if an individual is still hesitant to get vaccinated, she encouraged those people to ask their respective doctors or local health units about the benefits of Covid-19 vaccine.
“Kung kayo po ay hindi pa po bakunado at may questions kayo (If you have not been vaccinated and you have questions), do not hesitate to call also your healthcare providers sa ating mga local health units (at our local health units). Kung may doktor kayo (If you have a doctor), you can also ask them the benefits and as well as the risk of the vaccination so that you can have an informed consent as soon as possible,” she said.
Completing the primary vaccination series and the booster shot are essential steps to protect one’s health since the Philippines is now opening up, said Rosario.
“Sa ngayon po (Right now), we are really looking forward to the new normal. Hopefully, as soon as possible ay maka-experience na tayo na bumalik iyong ating mga lifestyle, iyong ating mga activities, kung hindi naman same, (we will be able to experience to return to our lifestyles, our activities or) somehow similar prior to that of the pre-pandemic. However, with this kailangan din natin to i-ensure na while we are opening up, ma-ensure natin iyong protection sa ating mga constituents (we also need to ensure the protection among our constituents while we are opening up),” she said.
“The aim of the government is really to protect as many individuals as we can so that we will prevent the next surge of cases and hopefully there will be no more surge of cases later on. So, ito po iyong ini-aim natin (This is what we are aiming at) while we move on with our vaccination programs,” she added.