DOH appeals to 44 million jabbed Pinoys: Get boosters

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) yesterday appealed to 44 million Filipinos eligible to get COVID-19 booster shots to avail themselves of the extra dose for added protection against the disease.

“Based on our data today, we have about 44 million who are already eligible to receive their booster shots. We call on our compatriots who have already received their primary series or completed the first and second dose… Please receive your boosters. This will not just protect you, this will also protect your family and our whole community,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said, adding that almost 11 million Filipinos have received their booster doses.

Asked about presidential adviser for entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion’s suggestion that the term fully vaccinated be redefined as those who have received a booster dose, Vergeire said the matter is being discussed by the DOH with health experts.

Concepcion earlier expressed alarm over the slow uptake of COVID-19 booster shots as available vaccines in the country are about to expire.

Vergeire said the government would conduct another Bayanihan Bakunahan or special focused vaccination activities from March 29 to 31 in Cebu or Region 7, and from March 30 to April 1 in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Don’t force them

For Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, the government should not force Filipinos to get their booster shots. He also asked the government and the general public not to be too trusting of “big pharma” or pharmaceutical companies manufacturing the vaccines.

“Forcing people to have booster shots just to have the issue of expiring vaccines go away is wrong. Our problem is we are so much believers of big pharma that what they say, we always bite,” Pimentel said in Filipino and English.

“Big pharma has not been fully transparent on COVID vaccine matters right from the start,” he said. “We agree and agree as we don’t have our own brain.”

He scored statements saying booster shots are only good for a few weeks when in the past, the vaccines were overly promoted for their efficacy.

But now, authorities are saying the jabs are only good for six months and could not protect against infection.

Fully jabbed kids

Some 736,143 children aged 5-11 years old have been fully inoculated against COVID-19, while at least 1.8 million have received their first dose as of March 24, data from the DOH showed yesterday.

On the other hand, close to 8.9 million adolescents – or those age 12-17 years old – are now fully vaccinated, while 9.78 million have gotten their first dose.

The DOH said the country has achieved 72.18 percent of the target for immunization against COVID-19, while 12 million received their booster shots.

The Philippines has so far fully vaccinated over 65 million individuals against COVID-19, with the goal of 70 million Filipinos by the end of March and 90 million before the Duterte administration ends in June.

Some 936,000 pediatric doses Pfizer vaccines that the government procured through the World Bank arrived on Thursday night at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 aboard Air Hong Kong flight LD 456.

Delivery documents were pre-cleared prior to arrival and the jabs immediately transported to cold storage facility in Parañaque City, guarded by a Bureau of Customs team. – Sheila Crisostomo, Rudy Santos