MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government will file charges against two individuals who reportedly secured third doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the city after getting fully vaccinated in other local government units.
Mayor Joy Belmonte yesterday directed the filing of charges against the unnamed individuals, including one who posted details on social media before taking it down.
The man received two doses of Sinovac from the local government of Mandaluyong, but was able to secure another dose of Moderna at a vaccination site in Quezon City, reportedly through his company.
The Mandaluyong City government is also considering taking legal action against the fully vaccinated resident.
“A thorough investigation will be done first before exploring any legal action,” Mayor Carmelita Abalos said, adding that she already asked barangay officials for assistance.
Appeal
Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said they are now looking into the incident in Mandaluyong.
“Since we have not officially recommended booster shots, I will not classify this as a booster shot. Second, we are trying to get the details of this. We saw this in the social media platform,” Vergeire said.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appealed to the public’s morals, urging fully immunized individuals not to take additional doses or booster shots.
“It is not illegal. They will not be arrested by the police just like that because they got (booster shot). It is less of illegal but more of an ethical and moral issue,” FDA director general Eric Domingo explained.
He added that when vaccinated people get extra jabs, they deprive other people of protection against COVID-19.
“What is wrong is that there are many people who will not be inoculated because you became greedy and you get vaccines that you are not supposed to receive,” he said.
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos also appealed to the public not to take a third dose or booster shot because of the scarcity in supply.
“Now, we are inoculating the first and second doses. Please, do not get a third shot of the vaccine because of the shortage of vaccines. We should prioritize the first and second doses,” Abalos said in Filipino.
Last month, San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora disclosed that he already received four doses of COVID-19 vaccines – two jabs from Chinese pharmaceutical Sinopharm and another two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. – Emmanuel Tupas, Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Sheila Crisostomo