Local experts don't recommend booster COVID-19 shot yet —DOH

Philippine experts do not yet recommend getting a booster COVID-19 shot due to limited data, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday after American drugmaker Pfizer announced that it would seek authorization for a third dose of its vaccine.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/money/companies/794683/pfizer-biontech-to-seek-authorization-for-3rd-covid-19-shot-statement/story/

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said booster shots were discussed when experts convened on Thursday.

“Ang kanilang rekomendasyon, hindi pa. Hindi pa natin 'yan irerekomenda. Kailangan pa ng mas maraming ebidensya para masabi natin that it's going to be safe. Ang ating primary consideration dito is safety,” she said in a briefing.

(They do not recommend that yet. They said we need more evidence to say that it's going to be safe. Our primary consideration is safety.)

Vergeire explained that the timing of the booster dose is dependent on the length of immunity given by a certain vaccine.

“Wala pang manufacturer na nakakapagbigay talaga ng eksakto na sinabi nilang, ‘Itong bakuna ko, hanggang anim na buwan lang at kailangan mo na uling ulitin.’ Wala pang gano’ng ebidensya,” she said.

(No manufacturer has specified yet the duration of its vaccine's efficacy. There’s no evidence like that yet.)

Vergeire also called for “solidarity” in waiting for the majority of the population to get vaccinated before thinking of booster shots.

Two vaccine experts earlier urged the public not to rush to get a booster dose, stressing the need for equitable vaccine distribution. 

As of July 8, the Philippines has vaccinated over 9.4 million individuals or 13.4% of its target 70 million population for COVID-19 vaccines. 

Finance chief Carlos Dominguez III previously said the government would need around P55 billion to purchase booster shots while vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said authorities are eyeing booster doses from American firm Moderna. 

A United States official has also said that booster shots may be needed within a year after COVID-19 vaccination partly due to the threat of new coronavirus variants. --KBK, GMA News