DOH: Different vaccine brand as 2nd COVID-19 booster shot ‘more effective’

FILE PHOTO: Health Usec. Myrna Cabotaje. Screengrab from RTVM

MANILA, Philippines — Using a different vaccine brand as a second booster shot will be “more effective” in fighting COVID-19, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, the head of the National Vaccination Operations Center, echoed the recommendation of the government’s Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) for the use of a different vaccine brand as a second booster.

“A different brand will be more effective because it tries to give additional protection outside of the regular or the homologous primary booster,” Cabotaje explained during an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel on Friday.

“They are thinking that it will have a better effect, it’s a complementary effect to the original vaccine doses that have been given,” she added.

Nonetheless, Cabotaje said using a different vaccine brand as a second booster shot is only a recommendation for now.

“There are preferences and based on studies, the recent clinical trials are showing that there may be more advantages. However, these are recommendations,” Cabotaje said.

“They are just finalizing guidelines today to get consensus on—number one, that heterologous booster, age group, and the final conclusion of what’s included as immunocompromised,” she added.

Dr. Nina Gloriani, the chair of the government’s VEP, on Thursday said the rollout of the second booster shot for eligible groups would be available and ready for approval by Health Secretary Francisco Duque.

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