Second dose of vaccines comes with stronger side effects —FDA's Domingo

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) director general Eric Domingo on Tuesday said the second dose of most vaccines usually has stronger side effects than the first.

“For most of the vaccines, the second dose really has more adverse effects, more side effects that patients feel,” he said on ANC, amid  reports on supposed adverse events like fever and vomiting after the second dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine.

Domingo said the first shot introduces the body to the vaccine for it to start generating anti-bodies in the first few weeks after the vaccination.

“So pagdating ng second dose mas malakas ‘yung immunologic reaction,” he said.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has asked senators to craft a law for the indemnification of Filipinos who might suffer adverse effects of vaccines supposed to protect them from COVID-19.

He urged lawmakers to consider including this in the third emergency law meant to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, proposals for which have been filed in both houses of Congress.

"Hindi naman po kasi pwede ipagkaila na hindi mangyayari o walang walang mangyayaring adverse events,” Duque had said.

“Hopefully wala, pero alam naman po natin kahit na papano, itong mga bakuna ay talagang may kaakibat na adverse events," he added.

Senator Risa Hontiveros said there is no Senate consensus yet on whether it would push for a third emergency law. —KBK, GMA News