DOH rolls out COVID-19 booster shots for seniors

MANILA, Philippines — COVID-19 booster shots for persons 60 years old and above, and additional vaccine doses for adults with immunocompromised medical conditions will begin on Monday.

The Department of Health (DOH) announced on Sunday night the rollout of single dose booster shots for senior citizens under the A2 priority group, and additional doses for adults with certain comorbidities under the A3 priority group.

Those under the A3 priority group who will be allowed to receive an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose are those with immunodeficiency condition, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or active cancer/ malignancy; transplant recipients and patients under immunosuppressives.

A booster shot is given to individuals who have already completed their full doses but whose immunity response to COVID-19 was weakened after a lapse of several months since vaccination. An additional dose will be an extension of the primary vaccination series, which means full vaccination will now require not the usual two but three doses.

Senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals may receive the same brand as their original vaccines, except if their original vaccines were by Gamaleya Sputnik V and Janssen, or may receive another brand among the approved vaccines for booster/additional shots.

The Food and Drug Administration has so far approved for booster/additional shots the vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech (0.3ml/dose); Moderna (0.25ml/dose or half of the regular dose); and AstraZeneca (0.5ml/dose).

The Sinovac vaccine (0.5ml/dose) is approved as a booster shot only for those who were originally vaccinated with Sinovac.