Infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante urged the public to receive the second booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine in order to help maintain the country’s wall of immunity against the coronavirus.
Solante made the statement during a public briefing on April 13 following the Department of Health’s (DOH) decision to allow the administration of second booster shots for the general adult population.
“Well, malaking bagay iyon na pinahintulutan na natin na mabigyan ng second booster ang general population dahil alam din naman natin although lower risk ang general population to get the severe form pero they are also part of the population para ma-maintain natin iyong population wall of immunity (it is a big thing that we have already allowed the general population to be given a second booster because although the general population has a lower risk of getting the severe form, they are also part of the population to maintain the wall of immunity),” said Solante, who is the head of the Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine unit at the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.
When asked if the monovalent type of Covid-19 vaccine, which is currently being used in the country’s Covid-19 vaccination program, is effective as a second booster shot, Solante answered in the affirmative.
“Maski hindi bivalent vaccine pero ‘pag idagdag mo iyan as a second booster, iyong monovalent vaccine, maganda pa rin ang (Even though this would not be bivalent vaccine, if you use monovalent vaccine as second booster, it will still provide adequate) protection, especially against severe Covid,” said Solante.
To recall, the DOH announced last month that the delivery of bivalent vaccines in the country has been put on hold as concerned government agencies are still discussing some conditions that vaccine makers require.
The DOH is still finalizing the second booster shot guidelines for healthy individuals aged 18 and above. DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire expressed hopes that the guidelines will be out within this week “and we can start our implementation the soonest time possible.”
Health authorities approved the use of Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines as second booster shots, said Vergeire.
Currently, health workers, individuals aged 50 years old above, and adults with comorbidities are allowed to receive the second booster dose.