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Garin to DOH: Declare individuals without COVID-19 booster shots 'undervaccinated'
By HANA BORDEY,GMA News Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin on Friday urged the Department of Health to redefine "fully-immunized person" as she argued that individuals who did not get their COVID-19 booster shots are considered "undervaccinated."
"Matagal ko nang panawagan nung panahon ni [Health] Secretary [Francisco Duque III], kailangan nating baguhin 'yung definition ng fully-immunized person dahil nagiging mas malakas ang virus," Garin said during the Kapihan sa Eurotel.
(I have been making this call even during the time of Secretary Duque that the definition of fully-immunized person should be changed as the virus is mutating.)
"So sa ating mga kababayan dapat malaman ninyo na kapag kayo ay walang (The people should know that if you have not received a) booster or third dose, you are not fully-protected. You are undervaccinated," she added.
Garin explained that vaccines are formulated to prevent deaths, to ensure that infected people will only get mild symptoms, to prevent transmission, and to stop further mutation of the virus.
The former Health secretary said individuals who are considered "undervaccinated" can still face the risk of dying or getting admitted to intensive care units.
"Sa nangyari sa Delta at Omicron, 'yung pangatlong gamit ng bakuna ay napilay. Ibig sabihin 'yung prevention of transmission has been compromised pero kailangan mo pa rin ng bakuna para 'yung tatlong function ay manatili," she noted.
GMA News Online reached out to DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire for comment but she has yet to reply as of posting time.
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"You cannot really say that 'Get your booster shot but be absent at work' dapat 'yan...'Ito magpa-booster ka, protektado ka na hindi ka pa nawalan ng hanapbuhay,'" she said.
With the detection of Omicron sub-variants in the country, Garin also appealed to the DOH to provide free medicines against COVID-19 such as paxlovid, molnupiravir, and remdesivir.
She also stressed the need for the imposition of a price ceiling on specific commodities such as medicines, saying this has been one of the problems during the Duterte administration's COVID-19 response.
The Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) said as of June 20, 2022, the uptake of first booster doses is the following for the different priority groups: 53.23% for A1, 32.93% for EA1, 25.63% for A2, 26.09% for A3, 3.99% for EA3, 18.52% for A4, 10.52% for A5, and 21.49% for the rest of the adult population.
In July, the DOH issued guidelines for the nationwide rollout of second booster for all individuals aged 50 and above, and 18 to 49 years old with comorbidities.
Garin earlier urged the government to already allow the administration of second COVID-19 booster dose to the general population amid the lingering pandemic.—AOL, GMA News