DOH investigates different brand vaccination for 2nd dose in Davao

Health Usec. Maria Rosario Vergeire: “The healthcare worker committed an error, and they did not hide this anyway.” FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) is investigating reported incidents in the Davao Region where a different brand of COVID-19 vaccine was used for a second dose.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said initial information shows that the healthcare worker who administered the shot merely made a mistake.

“Iniimbestigahan natin ito sa ngayon, what really happened. Pero based sa initial information na naibigay sa atin, mukhang talagang error ng healthcare worker at ito naman ay hindi nila itinago. Sabi nila they mistook that vaccine for the vaccine na kailangan dapat iturok,” she told an online media briefing.

(We are investigating right now what really happened. But based on initial information reported to us, the healthcare worker committed an error, and they did not hide this anyway. They said they mistook the vaccine for the vaccine that was supposed to be administered.)

The DOH has yet to release information on what vaccine brands were used on the recipients. According to reports, at least two individuals in Davao Region have received different vaccines for their second dose.

Vergeire said they would be monitored for adverse reactions.

She also said that the DOH’s vaccine cluster has noted that healthcare workers, especially in areas where the mistake happened, need to be retrained to avoid repeating the mistake.

Last month, videos of health workers failing to properly inject the contents of a vaccine on the arm of prospective recipients went viral.

READ: DOH probes ‘protocol breach’ in COVID-19 vaccination in viral video

The DOH later advised local government units to implement shifting of duty for vaccinators so they can rest and avoid mistakes in inoculation.