THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said it has ordered an investigation into reports that a hospital in Metro Manila has administered second COVID-19 booster shots to non-immunocompromised senior citizens and healthcare workers.
The DOH on Monday began giving the second booster doses to immunocompromised individuals through three hospitals. These are the Valenzuela Medical Center in Valenzuela City, Dr Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Caloocan City, and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center in Quezon City.
Other hospitals asked for more time to prepare for the rollout, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said on Monday.
The DOH, in a statement yesterday, said the management of the erring hospital has explained it had “unintentionally misinterpreted guidelines.”
The amended emergency use authorization for vaccines states that senior citizens, frontline healthcare workers, and immunocompromised individuals may be given a second booster.
The Health Technology Assessment Council has completed recommendations for immunocompromised individuals while still reviewing evidence for senior citizens and healthcare workers.
“The facilities in question have now since returned to administering boosters to immunocompromised individuals only,” said the DOH.
In addition, the DOH said the National Vaccination Operations Center is coordinating with other hospitals and vaccination sites to prevent a similar incident.
The San Juan City government yesterday started giving the second booster shots at a mall at the Greenhills shopping center.
Those who want to get the second booster can pre-register through http://bit.ly/39Bi7ri.
Under guidelines, second booster shots may be given after at least three months from the first.
Homologous or same brand booster shots are available for those who got AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, Sinopharm, and Sinovac as primary vaccines.
Heterologous (different brand) booster shots are available for those who got AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Moderna as primary.
About 690,000 immunocompromised individuals have been fully vaccinated and have received their first booster.
Immunocompromised individuals are described by the DOH those in immunodeficiency state; with HIV; have active cancer or malignancy; are transplant recipients; are undergoing steroid treatment; patients with poor prognosis/bed-ridden patients; and other conditions of immunodeficiency as certified by a physician. — With Christian Oineza
