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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Garin explains need to redefine 'fully immunized person' vs Covid-19

Garin explains need to redefine 'fully immunized person' vs Covid-19

Published Jul 15, 2022 04:10 pm

Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin thinks that a “fully immunized person" against Covid-19 should be redefined following the emergence of the Omicron variant.

(File photo/ Ali Vicoy/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Garin, in a press conference on booster vaccination and the incoming “bivalent vaccines", pitched for the redefinition of a person who is considered “fully immunized” against Covid-19.

She says that the current definition is no longer applicable given the Omicron strain of Covid-19, something which monovalent vaccines, or vaccines formulated specifically to target the original Covid-19 strain, are not equipped to fight other variants.

“Hindi naman po pwedeng sabihin natin na kumpleto ang bakuna ng tao eh alam naman natin na nagbago ang siyensya at nagbago at lumakas yung virus. Kailangan natin baguhin ang (We can’t define the current vaccines given to people as complete because we know that science has changed, while the virus has gotten stronger. We need to change the) definition ng (of) ‘fully immunized person' against Covid-19,” Garin said during her press conference on Thursday, July 14.

She added that the government would need to allocate a budget to procure bivalent or second generation vaccines. These are vaccines formulated to protect a recipient from both the Omicron variant and also the original Covid-19 strain.

Read: https://mb.com.ph/2022/07/14/govt-needs-to-prep-budget-for-2nd-gen-covid-19-vaccines-says-garin/

Garin, a former Department of Health (DOH) chief, also noted that the redefinition of “full immunization” versus Covid-19 would be requisite to the transition into a maskless society.

“If we want to transition to an optional mask policy. Kasi hindi lang po namagastos yung mask, dumadagdag sya sa basura, dagdag gastos sa mga taong bayan, at yung iba hindi komfortable at nahihirapan (Not only are masks expensive, they contribute to waste, burden the citizens with costs, and some aren’t comfortable and have a hard time wearing them). We have to redefine a fully immunized person against Covid-19” the doctor-lawmaker said.


Read: https://mb.com.ph/2022/07/14/garin-says-ph-could-adopt-optional-mask-policy-if-booster-rate-hits-70/

The BA.5 subvariant of the Omicron Covid-19 strain–which has been described as the “most dangerous” due to its high transmission, reproduction rate, and its resilience to already available vaccine brands–has already been detected in the Philippines.

Read:

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