Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Sputnik Light, and Janssen vaccines have been approved for the administration of the second booster shot, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Tuesday, April 19.
Health Undersecretary and National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) Chairperson Myrna Cabotaje stated during the Laging Handa press briefing that this was according to the emergency use authorization (EUA) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
According to her, the second booster dose may be given four months after the first booster shot. Health workers, senior citizens and those immunocompromised will be prioritized, she added. But she mentioned that they will also cater to those who belong to the A3 depending on their circumstance.
"Gagawin natin sa National Capital Region (NCR) muna (We will first do it in NCR)...then we will expand nationwide," she said.
Currently, Cabotaje said that they are only waiting for the review and recommendation of the health technology assessment council (HTAC) to roll out the second booster shot. She added that guidelines have already been prepared and that they will just add the provisions of the FDA-EUA.
According to Cabotaje, they are looking to conduct the second booster rollout earliest by the end of the week and the latest by the start of next week.
On April 13, the DOH said that the FDA has already approved the roll out of the second booster shot for "senior citizens 60 years old and above, the immunocompromised, and frontline healthcare workers."
Cabotaje said that booster vaccination continues to be slow which is currently at 12. 6 million based on DOH's data. She said that the government still needs to ramp it up for the remaining days of April, May up to June.