The Department of Health (DOH) said about 40 to 45 million eligible Filipinos are yet to receive their first booster shot of Covid-19 vaccines.

More than 20 million Filipinos have so far got their first booster dose, said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.

“Right now, we have 20.4 million with the first booster shot. This is just about 26 percent of the eligible population. We are looking at around 40 to 45 million still to receive their first booster shots,” she said during an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Thursday, Oct. 27.

Among the reasons for the slow booster uptake is that some individuals are confident already with their first two doses, while some fully-vaccinated individuals contracted Covid-19 and thought that this can increase their immunity, said Vergeire.

Other reasons are booster shots are not required in workplaces and schools, and some are still having “fears” because of misinformation circulating about the vaccines, she added.

The further easing of face mask policy can also have an adverse effect in the booster uptake, said Vergeire.

“We know that people might think na wala ng pandemya kaya nagtatanggal na tayo ng mga restrictions, so hindi ko na din kailangan ng pagbabakuna. Pero kailangan macounter natin iyan (that the pandemic is no longer here and that is why we are easing restrictions, so there is no need for vaccination anymore. But we have to counter that) through our correct messaging,” she said.

“Kailangan sabihin natin sa mga tao (We need to tell the citizens) and I’m telling our people right now, now that we are easing our restrictions, the only thing one of the major things that can protect us would be the vaccines,” she added.

“Kung tayo po ay bakunado, kahit na hindi na nagmamask ang mga katabi natin (If we are vaccinated, even if those next to us no longer wear masks), we will be protected from getting the severe infections of Covid-19,” she furthered.

Vergeire said that both national and local governments are doing everything to increase the uptake on the first booster shot.

The Health official once again urged eligible Filipinos to get boosted.

“Let us try to have our first booster shots. This is the only protection that can help us para makaagapay tayo and hindi tayo magkasakit lalong-lalo na ngayon na nagbubukas tayo ng ating ekonomiya (to manage the situation and not get sick especially now that we are opening our economy),” said Vergeire.