Gov’t ready to address people hesitant to get 2nd dose of Covid vaccine

DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The government is preparing for the possibility that some individuals who have received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine may later hesitate and not show up to get their second shot, the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

“We are expecting that. That is part of the things we are trying to be ready with. That’s why we have this database and master list so we can track them and encourage them,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel, when asked of the possibility that some people who have received the first dose of the vaccine may hesitate to get the second shot.

Vergeire said vaccinators would explain at the start of the inoculation that the vaccines would only reach its maximum potential if the recipients get the two doses required by most vaccine manufacturers.

“We know how the vaccines work, especially these vaccines with two doses, that you need two doses for you to be fully protected. We need to give them that information so they can understand,” she said.

“Now when that time comes and they don’t come back for their schedule for their next dose, we need to track them and encourage them to receive the second dose,” she added.

The health official then reiterated that the vaccines to be administered in the country are safe for use.

She reiterated that as long as the vaccines are given emergency use authorization by the country’s Food and Drug Administration and approved by the Health Technology Assessment Council, the public can be assured that the vaccines are safe and effective.

“The confidence should be there because the government is ensuring that no vaccine will come in the country which will not go through a regulatory process,” said Vergeire.

The first batch of Covid-19 vaccines from the global vaccine sharing scheme Covax is expected to arrive in the country by mid-February, according to Malacañang.

The initial shipment from the procurement pool would be 117,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, which would be given to healthcare workers in select hospitals.

JPV

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