THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said it does not see at this time the need to make the third vaccine or first booster shot against COVID-19 mandatory despite the low uptake nationwide.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the booster shot uptake may be increased through other means.
“In the past, we were able to improve our vaccination efforts by implementing different nudges, demand generation activities, addressing vaccine hesitancy, expansion of vaccination sites, and through incentive and disincentive schemes,” she said in a briefing.
Vergeire said previous vaccination strategies have been successful despite not being mandatory. She added there is no law in the country on mandatory vaccination.
“There is a need for such a proposal (mandatory booster) to be studied carefully… But, at this point in time, we don’t see the need to adopt such a strategy,” she said.
Last Monday, infectious disease expert Dr Rontgene Solante proposed making the booster vaccination mandatory for the general population as part of the country’s preparations for the resumption of the face-to-face classes next month and further opening of workplaces.
Vergeire said for now, the DOH will focus on bringing the vaccination program closer to the people, particularly in places with high foot traffic such as schools, markets, churches, and workplaces.
“We intend to adopt additional strategies, such as having vaccination rollout in a settings approach,” said Vergeire.
About 71 million Filipinos have been fully-vaccinated as of July 11 but only around 15.3 million individuals have received booster shots.
As for the second booster, the DOH said around 954,000 individuals belonging to the healthcare workers, senior citizens, and immunocompromised individuals sectors have gotten them.
Given the limited sectors allowed to get second booster shots, the DOH warned local government units (LGUs) anew not to give the second shot to the general population.
“Whatever is in the guidelines, we must follow them,” Vergeire said.
She issued the call as several LGUs continue to administer second booster shots to the general population.
Vergeire said there is not enough evidence as yet that will allow the government to give a fourth dose to the general population.
“We have yet to give to the general population because we still lack evidence to support this implementation saying there is adequate protection once they get the second booster,” she said.
Instead of administering second booster shots to ineligible individuals, Vergeire said the LGUs should just focus on increasing their first booster shot coverage.
“Let us find all individuals, especially seniors and those with comorbidities, that have yet to complete their primary series and first booster shots. Let us focus our efforts on that instead,” said Vergeire.
BOOSTER RATE
Solante yesterday told the public to get their booster shots and help improve the booster rate if they want to do away with the use of face masks soon.
In an interview with Teleradyo, Solante said while other countries have started to make the wearing of face masks optional, the Philippines still has to observe some kind of metrics or guidelines such as having high booster rates to ensure the public is protected and there is no widespread of COVID-19.
“We need to also follow para hindi naman tayo magkakataasan ng mga kaso (so the number of cases will not rise) and part of that is really iyung (that) booster population.
Why do we need to have a more booster population? Because we want to build that population immunity,” he said.
Solante said there may be a need to “incentivize” the public to get the booster.
He said vaccine complacency has resulted in the low booster rate as many people feel the primary vaccine series, or the single dose or two-dose primary vaccines, are enough to protect them against COVID-19 especially the new variants that are being likened to seasonal flu.
He said the problem is while some of these new variants such as Omicron and its subvariants are milder compared to the original and the Alpha and Delta variants, the vulnerable sector such as the elders and immunocompromised may still develop serious COVID that could lead to hospitalization or death. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
