DOH: 9 out of 10 Filipinos think primary COVID-19 vax shots sufficient, skip boosters

The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said that nine out of ten Filipinos are "overconfident" about the protection elicited by the first two COVID-19 doses and see no need of getting a booster shot.

This was reported by DOH Epidemiology Bureau Director Dr. Alethea de Guzman during a hearing of the House Committee on Health.

“Among the reasons cited for non-acceptance of boosters are that nine out of 10 Filipinos are overconfident on the protection given by our primary series; that they are already practicing other preventive measures; a presence of a healthy immune system; that they are not part of the high-risk group for severe COVID-19; and that they already have an active immunity, being infected with COVID-19 prior,” she said.

She added that other reasons for refusing to get booster shots were the experience of side effects from the primary series vaccination; the concern over the cost of treatment from getting these side effects; and the feeling that booster shots are not necessary since it is not required in school or at work.

Based on the DOH's national COVID-19 vaccination dashboard, only 18.3 million of the 72.6 million fully vaccinated Filipinos have received their booster shots as of Tuesday, September 6.

Malacañang announced Wednesday that the Inter-Agency Task Force of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has recommended that wearing masks outdoors be made optional by year's end, provided that that the COVID-19 booster uptake in the country improves.

The DOH earlier launched its PinasLakas campaign with a goal to boost 23.8 million Filipinos or 50% of the eligible population within the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said during the same hearing that over 19.6 million COVID-19 doses remain in their warehouses.

However, DOH Undersecretary Carolina Taiño said that as of Wednesday, September 7, none of the expired vaccines in their warehouses were procured by the national government. 

“All the vaccines that expired were from the private and LGU procurement. There are some wastage because of other reasons…the operational wastage some through the natural disaster, fire, temperature excursion, discoloration, and other reasons,” she said.

The COVAX facility has committed to replace all expired and expiring COVID-19 vaccine doses in the country, including those procured by the private sector and the local government units, Vergeire earlier said. — BM, GMA News