During the celebration of World Immunization Week, the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, April 25, rolled out the second Covid-19 vaccine booster shot for immunocompromised individuals in different vaccination sites of the National Capital Region (NCR).
DOH said the second booster jab was rolled out at Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) in Quezon City, Dr. Jose Rodriguez Memorial Hospital (Tala) in Caloocan City, Valenzuela Medical Center, and some venues in Makati City.
More vaccination sites will start administering second booster shots soon, it noted.
Citing the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC), the health department said they are eyeing administering second booster shots to around 690,000 immunocompromised individuals, across all priority groups.
“Operations will initially aim to reach approximately 1-2 percent of this target, which corresponds to about 7,000 to 13,000 individuals,” it said.
Meanwhile, the DOH noted that LGUs will take the lead in gradually expanding the rollout of the second Covid-19 booster shots.
Per the DOH, the vaccine brands that will be used are AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III, meanwhile, defined immunocompromised individuals as those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, cancer patients, transplant patients, and individuals taking immunosuppressive medicines, among others.
World Immunization Week is celebrated from April 24 to 30.