DOH chief urges LGUs to roll out bivalent jabs

MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Ted Herbosa yesterday called on local government units (LGUs) to immediately administer about 400,000 donated bivalent COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable groups as the jabs will expire in November.

Herbosa said the Department of Health (DOH) has started distributing 390,000 doses of bivalent vaccines to different parts of the country.

The first batch of bivalent jabs donated by the Lithuanian government arrived in the country on June 3. The vaccines will expire on Nov. 23, Herbosa said.

The vaccines were donated through the COVAX Facility, a global vaccine-sharing scheme led by the World Health Organization (WHO).

“As we speak, I think they have already been redistributed to the different regional offices of the DOH,” Herbosa, who was appointed health chief by President Marcos last week, said at a press briefing at Malacañang. 

He said majority of the vaccine doses went to the National Capital Region, adding that they are still negotiating to acquire more.

Herbosa said they need to start vaccinating those priority individuals with the bivalent dose because it only has a shelf life of six months upon delivery. 

“They end on Nov. 23, that’s the expiry date. So, I need to start vaccinating people immediately,” Herbosa said. 

Like in the previous COVID-19 vaccinations, the government will prioritize the vulnerable sectors. “So, number one, the elderly. Number two, those who have comorbidities. Number three, the health care workers,” he said.

The bivalent jabs give protection against the original COVID-19 strain, SARS-CoV-2, and Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

The DOH chief also noted some of the issues in getting more of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines include the registration of the doses with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“There are just some snags and issues after the public health emergency was lifted,” he said.

“So, the issue of the vaccine is in terms of the EUA (emergency use authorization). So, to procure it, we need to register (the vaccines) with our FDA. But we are trying hard to get all these bivalent (vaccines),” Herbosa said.

The DOH secretary also renewed the call for the public to get vaccinated and not be complacent even though the WHO has declared an end to COVID-19 as a public health emergency. 

“But we will continue to push for people to get vaccinated because it will prevent you, especially if you are at high risk of mortality,” Herbosa said.   

At least 78.4 million Filipinos are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 23.8 million have received at least a first booster dose.