Gov’t adviser to campaign rallyists: Get vax booster shots

PROTECTION Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (second from right) administers a COVID-19 vaccine to Delailah Apante, a nurse supervisor at East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City, as part of the government’s ceremonial rollout of booster shots for health workers, seniors and those with health conditions on Monday. —NIñO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — People participating in campaign rallies will have added protection against COVID-19 if they already received their booster shots, Dr. Ted Herbosa, special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said on Thursday.

He said a booster shot will give added protection to a person whose antibodies against the disease may already be waning if they have been vaccinated against COVID-19 more than 6 months ago.

“Lalo na ngayon panahon ng kampanya, maganda ‘yung mga sumasali diyan sa mga rally na ‘yan ay may booster dose para sila ay protektado kung sila man ay mahawa,” he said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(Especially during the campaign season, it is better if those who will participate have already gotten their booster dose so that they are protected if they get infected.)

The campaign period for the May 2022 elections started on Feb. 8.

Herbosa said about 7.8 million Filipinos have so far received their booster shots. However, about 28 million Filipinos have yet to get their booster dose, according to the National Vaccination Operations Center.

The government is holding a national vaccination drive on Feb. 10 to 11 to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination in the country, aiming to vaccinate 6 million individuals.

This drive will include the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years.

/MUF