Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) said Thursday it will be discussing with experts the recommendation to give polling precinct officers and overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) a second COVID-19 booster shot.
“For the rest of the population, there had been these recommendations for front-liners, those who are going to man the precincts, OFWs and the others, these are going to be discussed with our experts and will be recommended because we’ll need to amend again our EUA (emergency use authorization) if we are going to include these sectors of the population,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel’s Headstart.
On Wednesday, Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. recommended the inclusion of seafarers and OFWs in the administration of the fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, or the second booster shot.
The DOH earlier said that the Food and Drug Administration has already issued emergency use authorization for the administration of second boosters for the immunocompromised, senior citizens, and health workers.
However, the recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council for now is to only administer these doses to immunocompromised individuals.
“HTAC review is still underway for administration to senior citizens and frontline healthcare workers,” the DOH said in an earlier statement.