DOH warns public getting booster shots: Gov’t can’t be accountable

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday warned individuals already getting booster shots that the government will not be held accountable should they experience any untoward reactions.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stressed that booster shots have not yet been granted an emergency use authorization, saying that its inoculation is a violation of national protocols.

“Pagka nagkaroon po, ‘wag naman sana, aberya o kaya untoward reactions towards this booster doses, government cannot be held accountable,” Vergeire said in a media briefing.

(If there are, let’s hope not, untoward reactions towards these booster doses, the government cannot be held accountable.)

“The ones accountable will be the ones who gave you the vaccines and who have sourced out these vaccines,” she added.

Vergeire said the agency is still waiting for the approval of the amended EUA.

The Food and Drug Administration has disclosed that it has received applications for EUA amendment from Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, and Sputnik V.

Vergeire urged the public to wait for the guidelines from the government.

“Hindi po ito para i-restrict kayo, hindi po para i-control ang paglabas ng mga bakuna para sa mga ganitong gawain, ngunit para masiguro po ng gobyerno na ito po ay magiging ligtas at magiging effective para sa ating mga kababayan,” she said.

(This is not to restrict you or control the vaccines. This is for the government to ensure that this will be safe and effective for the public.)

‘Be cautious’

Vergeire also urged groups to be careful when making remarks that an increase of cases may occur without booster doses.

“Kailangan lang natin indindin na base sa ebidensya at base sa mga pagaaral na ginagawa ng mga eksperto and even base sa experiences now happening in other countries… the unvaccinated ang nakakapag cause ng pagtaas ng kaso,” she said.

(We need to understand that based on science and studies being done by experts as well as the experiences in other countries… the unvaccinated are the cause behind the increase in cases.)

“May we call on to all of those groups stating this kind of statements to be very careful and cautious,” she added. — RSJ, GMA News