Incoming Mandaluyong mayor, seniors, frontliners receive 2nd booster shot

Incoming Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr. and other senior citizens received their second booster shot against COVID-19 during the ceremonial vaccination at SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City Thursday.

Other senior citizens who received their second booster shots were Fernando Latonero, 78; Zenaida Jimenez, 80, and Norma Santos, 76.

Frontline healthcare workers were also inoculated with the Pfizer vaccine for their second booster shot during the ceremonial vaccination.

“The virus is unpredictable, nagbabago-bago… kaya we should not put our guards down. But the vaccine cluster… we are confident malalabanan natin ito kasi nandyaan kayo,” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said.

(The virus is unpredictable, it changes… so we should not put our guards down. But the vaccine cluster… we are confident that we can fight this because you are here.)

“So we are confident, kahit paalis na kami ni Sec. Vince (Dizon), na itutuloy-tuloy pa rin natin ang pagbabakuna, especially our boosters,” she added.

(So we are confident, even though Secretary Vince and I are about to leave, the vaccination program will continue, especially our boosters.)

In May, the Department of Health (DOH) allowed giving second booster shots to senior citizens and frontline healthcare workers. It said availing of a second booster will strengthen immunity against the virus as well as the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1, of which there are a total of 17 cases detected in the country.

Aside from senior citizens and frontline health workers, immunocompromised individuals may also avail of their second booster dose.

Individuals seeking to be vaccinated must present their vaccination card showing the date of their first booster dose and any valid government-issued ID.

Meanwhile, the DOH said there is no need to administer the second booster to non-immunocompromised individuals.

In a written response to media queries, the Health Department also shot down a proposal urging the inclusion of economic frontliners to those eligible for second boosters.

“Currently, there is no evidence supporting economic frontliners to include them in the administering of the 4th dose, same for OFWs, for expanded A1 population, general population,” it said.

It stressed that current data only shows the benefits of second boosters to healthcare workers, immunocompromised individuals, and senior citizens.

“The DOH continues to review the studies as they arrive, and issue our policies as deemed necessary following the processes prescribed by law,” it said.—AOL, GMA News