J&J boosters reserved for ‘hard to reach,’ vulnerable populations –DOH

Despite Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine being granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for booster shots, the Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday said it will be reserved for certain populations.

During a media forum, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire explained that the single-jab vaccine, developed by J&J's Janssen Pharmaceuticals, is homologous, meaning it could be administered as a booster to those who received it as their primary vaccine.

However, upon assessment, the DOH decided not to give Janssen as a booster yet, considering the limited supply and because it would be better set aside for the “hard to reach” and vulnerable individuals, Vergeire said.

“Meron kasi tayong ginagawa na guidelines operationally, assessing the situation and assessing the demand and our supplies. Nakita natin na ‘wag na muna nating ibigay na booster ang J&J. Mas magiging epektibo tayo sa ating pagpapatupad ng ating bakunahan kung magbigay na muna tayo ng ibang klase ng bakuna na meron tayo,” Vergeire said.

(We have worked on operational guidelines and have assessed the situation, as well as the vaccine demand and supplies. We decided not to give J&J as a booster first. We will be more effective in our vaccination program if we provide other types of vaccines that we have now.)

“We are reserving our J&J vaccines para po doon sa mga hard-to-reach population, para doon sa mga vulnerable population natin kasi single-dose lang ‘to and we don't need to worry anymore ‘pag sa second dose,” she added.

(We are reserving our J&J vaccines for those hard-to-reach and vulnerable populations because it’s only a single dose, so we don’t need to worry anymore for the second dose.)

The DOH earlier said that the Janssen has been granted EUA for booster shots since 2021, but it has yet to be implemented in the country due to “logistical concerns.”

“Just want to clarify that as per EUA last April 19, 2021, Janssen is part of the combination for booster doses. But as per NVOC (National Vaccination Operations Center) Advisory, this is not yet for implementation due to logistical concerns,” the DOH said then.

Vergeire asked the public not to be picky with the brand and get the primary vaccine and booster doses currently available as they are all effective against COVID-19.

“Sana naiintindihan ng ating mga kababayan at sana po tangkilikin din ng ating mga kababayan at ‘wag nang mamili dahil kahit anumang bakuna ang meron tayo, basta may EUA tayo, basta nirekomenda ng ating mga vaccine cluster, ng ating mga eksperto, magiging mabisa rin po ‘yan at mabibigyan din kayo ng proteksyon na kailangan niyo,” she added.

(I hope the public will understand, support this, and no longer be picky because despite the vaccine brands we have, as long as they have EUA and they have been recommended by our vaccine clusters and experts, they are all effective and could give you the protection you need.)

Dr. Isagani Padolina of the government's Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) earlier said that the clinical trials showed that the Janssen jab has “the capacity to boost antibody concentrations” six months after the primary series of mRNA vaccines such as Pfizer or Moderna, citing data issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).

On the other hand, a second dose of an mRNA jab also “induces neutralizing antibody concentrations” among those who received a Janssen dose by four to 22 times higher than a second dose of Janssen, he added. — BM, GMA News