Gov’t mulls giving single-shot COVID-19 vaccine to OFWs

This file photo shows a vial of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. AFP

MANILA, Philippines — The government is studying the possibility of giving a single-shot COVID-19 vaccine, like the one developed by Johnson & Johnson, to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), according to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III.

“Ang suggestion ni [vaccine czar] Secretary [Carlito] Galvez, at ‘yun ang akin sinusuportahan, ‘yung ating mga OFWs, lalong-lalo na ang mga seafarers natin, ay mabigyan ng one-dose na bakuna. Meron namang ganun eh, ang alam ko ‘yung Johnson & Johnson,” Bello said in a televised briefing Tuesday.

(The suggestion of Secretary Galvez, which I support, is to give OFWs especially our seafarers a single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, like Johnson & Johnson.)

This way, Bello said, OFWs will be easily deployed in other countries and they will no longer undergo COVID-19 tests nor quarantine.

Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is a single-shot jab, unlike other brands that require two doses.

It has already secured an emergency use authorization from the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration.

The Philippines has already reserved six million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot vaccine but no definitive dates for its delivery have been announced.

KGA