DOH tells Sinopharm jab recipients to wait for booster recommendation
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health on Thursday asked Filipinos who received the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Chinese firm Sinopharm to wait for the recommendation of experts on which booster brand should be administered to them.
DOH Secretary Myrna Cabotaje told state broadcaster PTV that experts have yet to issue a recommendation because the data submitted to the country’s Food and Drug Administration did not specify which vaccine brand could be used as booster for Sinopharm.
“Maghintay-hintay lang muna (Just wait for a bit),” Cabotaje said.
“We hope that in a couple of weeks, because I know they’ve been waiting for a while. It needs to be pushed because many people are asking. So we will ask not only our experts here, but also the World Health Organization, on what booster they will recommend for Sinopharm,” she added.
Earlier this month, Malacañang said that President Rodrigo Duterte got a Sinopharm booster shot. It was the same brand he received for his primary series.
Duterte received his first dose of Sinopharm vaccine in May 2021 even if it was not covered by the emergency use authorization issued by the FDA at the time.
FDA said the Sinopharm jab administered to the chief executive was covered by the compassionate use permit granted to the Presidential Security Group.
Since the start of the vaccination program in March last year, only 56.4 million people have completed vaccination against COVID-19, while 59.4 million have received partial protection.
The government has so far administered 5.6 million booster doses. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
A new thread on the Philippines' vaccination program in 2021 in the government's revised objective to reach "population protection." Bookmark our COVID-19 and Vaccination Dashboard for the latest figures on the pandemic in the Philippines. — Main image: The STAR/Michael Varcas, file
The city government of Valenzuela City announces that it is temporarily suspending the use of Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 vaccines as they wait for more vaccine supplies.
ADVISORY: Pansamantalang inihinto ang pagbabakuna ng Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 vaccine sa Valenzuela habang naghihintay ng karagdagang supply. (????: Valenzuela LGU) pic.twitter.com/j4yO52jgMN
— PTVph (@PTVph) August 7, 2023
Pasig City government announces the schedule of COVID-19 vaccination in the city from July 15 until July 28.
It advises residents that first, second dose and first and 2nd booster shots are available on a first come, first serve basis in its designated vaccination sites.
Among the available vaccine brands is Sinovac for 6 years old and above. It adds that there are no Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines yet for residents age 12 and above.
Schedule ng Pagbabakuna sa Pasig City |07/25/2023-07/28/2023 | First Come, First Served Basis
— Pasig Info (@PasigInfo) July 24, 2023
Tingnan ang material para sa vaccination sites kung saan makakapagpa - 1st at 2nd dose, at 1st at 2nd booster shot; at kung ano ang mga dapat dalhin sa araw ng pagbabakuna
1/3 pic.twitter.com/yqKG0S41CM
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to lead the rollout of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccination at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City. — The STAR/Helen Flores
President Marcos will lead the launch of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccination at the Philippine Heart Center in Quezon City on Wednesday morning. (Photo courtesy of MPC pool) | @helenmflores pic.twitter.com/wbB2An7xgg
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) June 21, 2023
The Department of Health reminds public that they can still avail of the COVID-19 booster and bivalent booster. It reposted an infographic that determines when it is best to get the first two boosters and the bivalent booster.
Senior citizens and frontline health workers may now get their second booster shots, particularly mRNA jabs such as Moderna and Pfizer, the Department of Health announces. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
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