Arriving COVID vaccines to be used as booster shots in 2022 — Galvez

National Task Force against Coronavirus Disease-2019 (NTF COVID-19) chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. speaks during one of the briefings of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members. FILE PHOTO / KARL ALONZO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said that COVID-19 vaccines that will arrive in the country beginning today would be used as booster shots for early next year.

During President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People aired on Wednesday, Galvez reported that the country’s current COVID-19 vaccine supply is enough to cover the immunization program until the end of the year.

As of November 1, the Philippines received around 106 million COVID-19 vaccines. Of which, 59 million have been administered to individuals.

“Ito pong volume po na ito, Mr. President, kaya po nitong suportahan ang buong November at December na po ‘yan. ‘Yung mga darating po na mga bakuna—‘yun ang magandang ano po natin, ‘yung mga darating na iba pong bakuna—‘yan po ay ilalaan po natin sa mga boosters this coming first quarter of 2022,” Galvez explained.

(This volume, Mr. President, can. support the entire vaccination efforts in November and December. The supply that will soon arrive, that would be a good portion for the booster shots in the first quarter of 2022.)

“Ngayon, nag-plano na po tayo, Mr. President na ‘yung first quarter natin at saka second quarter, hindi na po tayo mawawalan ng bakuna. Kasi ‘yun po ‘yung ano natin na at least before the election, magkakaroon na po ng halos na maraming boosters na po ‘yung ating mga kasamahan,” he said.

(Now, we planned this already Mr. President, in the first and second quarter, we will no longer be short of vaccines. That is our aim that before the holding of elections, we will have enough boosters for our fellow citizens.)

Galvez said that the initial projected rollout of the booster shots and third doses would be on November 15, subject to the guidance of the policy team and revision of emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.

Guidelines will be released on November 5.

The vaccine czar also differentiated the booster shots from the third doses.

“Ang pagkakaiba po ng booster, ito po ’yung binibigay po natin outside from the primary doses. ‘Yung third dose po, ito po ay kasama na po sa primary doses because of ‘yung mababa ‘yung immune system,” he said.

(The difference between booster and third dose is the booster is given outside from the primary doses while the third dose is included in the primary series because of a weak immune system.)

The booster shot rollout is targeted to benefit 1.5 million health workers with complete doses while the third dose rollout is eyed to be administered to 4.6 million senior citizens and undetermined number of immunocompromised individuals.

Galvez likewise advised municipalities to strengthen their capacity to ramp up the inoculation rollout.

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