PH rolls out booster vax for elderlies, immunocompromised

Photo from National Task Force
Photo from National Task Force

THE National Government started on Monday, November 22, administering booster and additional coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine shots to senior citizens and persons immunocompromised and with comorbidities.

The ceremonial booster vaccination for the said group was held at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said this will level up the country’s protection against Covid-19.

“Ito ang hinihintay ng ating senior citizens, na magkaroon ng additional dose and protection at nakikita natin na talagang natutuwa po tayo at very very excited na magkaron po tayo ng tinatawag po nating rollout for our seniors,” Galvez said.

(This is what our senior citizens have been waiting -- to have additional dose and protection, and we are very excited that we have this vaccination rollout for our senior citizens.)

“What we are doing right now, vaccinating our children at the same time vaccinating as boosters naman itong ating mga senior citizens and persons with comorbidities. I’m very sure, talagang ‘yung proteksyon natin, ibang level na po (our protection will level up),” he added.

So far, 32.9 million individuals in the Philippines have been fully vaccinated.

In Metro Manila, where the pilot implementation of the booster vaccination was held Monday, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Benhur Abalos said there were 953,212, or 95 percent of target senior citizens have been fully vaccinated, while 857,092 or 98 percent got their first dose.

With the over 129 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine doses that arrived in the country, Galvez said the Philippines have enough supply to administer booster and additional vaccine shots to the targeted population.

Galvez said six to eight million vaccine doses were allocated for booster and additional shots of the said population.

Last week, the country rolled out the booster vaccination of healthcare workers where 1.6 million vaccine doses were allocated.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), booster shots are given to those whose immunity from the virus weakened over the time they completed the vaccine shots, while additional vaccine shots are for those who did not reach the ideal immune response level against the virus.

Those who commonly needed additional shots were individuals who are immunocompromised and the elderlies. (SunStar Philippines)

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