The city government of Parañaque is allotting P100 million for the purchase of bivalent Covid-19 vaccines that may be more effective against the Omicron XBB subvariant and XBC variant.

Mayor Eric Olivarez directed Dr. Anthony Pulmano, the city treasurer, to ready the funds as the city government will purchase the new generation vaccine early next year.

Olivarez said the bivalent or “updated” Covid-19 vaccine offers better protection against the Omicron XBB subvariant and XBC variant that were recently detected by the Department of Health (DOH) in the country.

Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion reiterated last Tuesday the importance of bringing into the country the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines to sustain economic recovery in the wake of the emergence of new Omicron variants.

Olivarez said infectious disease expert Rontgene Solante raised the possibility that there are undetected Omicron XBB subvariant cases in the country.

He cited reports that the XBB is said to be more immune-evasive than the BA.5, the world’s dominant Omicron subvariant.

The DOH reported that 81 cases of XBB subvariant and 193 cases of XBC variant have been detected in the Philippines.

Olivarez said that highly developed countries have been making purchase orders of such vaccines as these have been proven to be highly effective in preventing Covid-19 re-infection among vaccinated individuals based on clinical trials.

The mayor, who is a registered nurse, said the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, Bivalent, is authorized particularly in the US for use as a single booster dose in individuals 12 years of age and older.

He said the Covid-19 vaccines, including boosters, continue to save countless lives and prevent serious outcomes — hospitalization and death.

As part of his administration’s health concern strategy, Olivarez said they continue implementing the prevent, detect, isolate, treat, and reintegrate (PDITR) response to Covid-19 and immediate action plan towards the “new normal”.

To further ensure the city’s healthcare utilization rates remain low, the mayor reminded residents, especially the immunocompromised and the elderly, to get vaccinated and receive booster shots against the disease.

Olivarez also encourages his constituents to get the bivalent Covid-19 vaccine booster dose for better protection against the circulating variants.