THE Department of Health yesterday reminded the public that receiving one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is not enough for full protection against the deadly virus.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire issued the reminder as vaccine priority groups A2 (senior citizens) and A3 (persons with with comorbidities] start to get their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Most of the vaccines developed so far are given in two doses, except that made by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, the vaccine division of Johnson & Johnson.
Vaccines which have arrived in the country are from China’s Sinovac Biotech, the British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca Plc, and Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute.
Vergeire said it takes time before the body’s immune system can build protection against COVID-19.
She said there is a 12-week interval between the first and second doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and four weeks for the Sinovac vaccine.
“After your second dose, it will take around two weeks or more to get the protection against COVID-19,” she said.
“In order to acquire the full protection against the severe form of COVID-19 and avoid hospitalization, receive your second dose from your local government unit as scheduled,” Vergeire said.
“We urge everyone to get vaccinated when it is their turn by registering with their LGUs. Vaccines not only protect you against the severe form of COVID-19 but also prevent hospitalization,” she added.
Vergeire also said after getting vaccinated, one must still continue practising preventive measures such as wearing of face masks and face shields, physical distancing, frequent handwashing, and avoiding crowds in order to minimize the risk of virus transmission.
On Saturday, a batch of two million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine doses from the World Health Organization-backed COVAX Facility arrived in the country.
The DOH said this will serve as second-dose shot for medical frontliners, senior citizens, and people with comorbidities who already got their first shot.
The country now has at least 6 million vaccine doses. Government targets to vaccinate 50 million to 7o million Filipinos to achieve herd immunity by the end of the year.
