FDA on boosters after 3 months: As of now, only those given Janssen, Sputnik Light OK

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Eric Domingo on Sunday said that to date only those given two specific brands of COVID-19 vaccines are allowed to have booster shots three months after their primary vaccination.

"Merong dalawang brand ng bakuna, 'yung Janssen at saka 'yung Sputnik Light na mga single dose, maaari na pong mag-booster three months after," Domingo said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(There are two vaccine brands, Janssen and Sputnik Light single dose. Those who received them may already have booster shots three months after [their primary vaccination].)

Domingo said those given other brands have not yet been given the green light to have booster shots after three months.

"Pero yung ibang mga bakuna natin, 'yung mga double dose, sa ngayon po ang ating experts ang pinapayagan ay six months after," he said.

(But the other vaccines, those with double dose, as of now our experts have only allowed booster shots six months after.)

The FDA chief said this is because studies have shown so far that it is only after six months that the efficacy of such vaccines starts to wane.

"Kasi doon pa lang naman nakikita na nagwe-wane o bumababa 'yung effect ng mga primary vaccination at sa ngayon, 'yun ang nakikita talaga nating magandang timing para magbigay ng booster," Domingo said.

(It's because only [after six months] do we see the effect of the primary vaccination starting to wane. And as of now, we see that as a good time to administer the booster shots.)

"Maganda pa ang proteksyon talaga until six months after. At before that ay hindi tayo nagmamadali na mabigyan ng booster. In fact, mas nagmamadali tayo na mabigyan dapat ang 50% ng mga Pilipino na wala pa kahit isang bakuna. Siguro mag-concentrate muna tayo doon sa unvaccinated," he added.

(The protection [from the vaccines] is still good until six months after. And before that, we are not in a hurry to give booster shots. In fact, we are more after reaching the 50% of Filipinos who have yet to receive even one dose of vaccine. So maybe it's best we concentrate first on the unvaccinated.)

Domingo gave the comments days after Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the Philippines is looking into lowering to three months the interval period before a fully-vaccinated individual can receive his booster shot against COVID-19.

Duque said they will submit such a proposal to the vaccine expert panel.

The Philippines began the inoculation of healthcare workers with booster shots on November 17 while seniors and immunocompromised individuals started receiving boosters shots on November 22.

Starting December 3, the government started administering booster shots to all fully vaccinated adults. —KG, GMA News