WITH only 14.3 million individuals having their booster shots, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday lamented what he described as a “quite anemic” number of additional coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines administered.
In a television interview, Duque said it is unacceptable that there are only a small number of boosted individuals in the country.
“Our problem is really on the first booster shots. It is very low… It is quite anemic,” he said, adding the situation is unfortunate since the government has not been remiss in finding innovations on how to make booster shots available to the public.
This, he said, includes making immunization activities available in pharmacies, in medical clinics, workplaces, as well as public transport terminals.
“We’ve done everything that we could, and we continue to innovate,” Duque said.
Duque said this is the reason why he is personally in favor of making booster shots “quasi-mandatory” by redefining the definition of being fully vaccinated.
This, he said, does not mean that the “no booster, no transport” or “no booster, no full capacity in the establishment” policy should be adopted.
“The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases is not just made up of the DOH but there are also others, plus the economic team, who frown upon or do not agree at this point,” said Duque.
For now, he said they will just continue to encourage all eligible fully vaccinated individuals to get their booster shots while the vaccines are still offered for free and vaccination sites have short queues.
“We should take advantage of this, and we should not waste this opportunity. The vaccine is free, it’s effective, it’s good quality, it’s safe. You only need to bring yourself. You will not forget that,” said Duque.
