DOH: Immunocompromised, seniors may choose different brand for booster shot

MANILA, Philippines — Senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals will have the option to receive a booster shot of a different vaccine brand from the ones they first received, a health department official said.

However, the guidelines on booster shots for these groups have yet to be released, as Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Saturday that the rules will be out soon.

“Ito pong sa ating senior citizens and saka sa immunocompromised, tinitignan ho natin kasi if medically-indicated [ang conditions nila]. Kailangan po ‘pag immunocompromised, it’s going to be called a third dose, although pareho po nating ibibigay iyong choice ng homologous or heterologous para sa kanila,” Vergeire said in a Laging Handa briefing.

(For our senior citizens and immunocompromised, we will look if their conditions are medically-indicated. If someone is immunocompromised, the booster shot which he/she will be receiving will be called a third dose. But both groups can choose either a homologous or heterologous shot.)

Homologous shots refer to the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine of the same brand as what was first received.

Heterologous shots, on the other hand, pertain to vaccinations of a different brand of COVID-19 vaccine compared to what was previously administered.

Vergeire said the DOH is in the final stages of deciding on the guidelines for booster shots which will be administered to seniors and immunocompromised people.

“We will be issuing…these guidelines in the coming days,” she said.

At present, only healthcare workers who have completed their COVID-19 vaccinations are eligible to receive the booster jabs.

DOH data shows that more than 2,400 health workers have received booster shots against the virus on Nov. 17, the first day of their rollout.

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