WITH THE increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the country, the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) vowed to ramp up vaccination in an effort to achieve the target of 50% booster coverage against the deadly respiratory disease.
President Bongbong Marcos
previously ordered the Department of Health (DOH) and the local governments to
hasten the roll out of booster jabs to protect Filipinos from Covid-19.
“Now on booster shots for
the healthy population, Mr. President, we stand by your directive that 50
percent of the general population should receive their first booster dose.
Likewise, we stand by your commitment to administer doses to at least 23
million people within the first 100 days of the Marcos administration,” said Quezon
City Mayor Joy Belmonte, the Executive Vice-President of LCP, during a recent
meeting with Marcos in MalacaƱang.
Belmonte said the LCP is
also grateful to the efforts of the Marcos administration, through the DOH, to
respond to the plea of local officials that more population, even healthy ones,
should be given a second booster.
The DOH has now allowed
people to have a second booster. According
to its guidelines, people ages 50 and above, and 18 to 49 years old with
comorbidities, shall be allowed to receive the booster shot - either Pfizer or
Moderna vaccines - and can only be administered at least four months after the
previous dose.
“We are dedicated to helping our
people remain protected against Covid-19. We are making it easier for us, many
of our people to avail of the primary series and boosters, including second
boosters. The Department of Health, along with other government agencies and
private sector partners, aim to increase vaccine coverage nationwide,” said
Health Undersecretary Dr Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“We need every eligible Filipino to
turn this into a whole-of-society fight against the virus. Together with the
President (Bongbong Marcos), we stand by the fact that vaccines are safe and
effective and remain to be our best defense in this pandemic,” she added.
The DOH previously said the second
booster shot is initially available for senior citizens (Priority Group A2) and
frontline health workers (Priority Group A1). It said the second booster shot
is primarily mRNA vaccines such as those manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer
which will strengthen immunity against the virus, including the latest Omicron
subvariant BA.2.12.1.
It said the following are under
Priority Group A1: Workers in essential health services and all people 60 years
old and above; Priority Group A2: Senior Citizens. The vaccines are to be given
at least four months after the administration of the first booster dose.
(Mindanao Examiner)
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