A Marikina resident takes a selfie while getting a booster shot. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA/FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday urged the public to get their COVID-19 booster shots as soon as possible, following the detection of the country’s first case of the Omicron BA.2.12 subvariant that it says “spreads faster.”
“Initial findings and data suggest that Omicron BA.2.12 spreads faster. There is currently no evidence that it can cause more severe disease,” the DOH said in a public health advisory.
The health agency said that the BA.2.12 subvariant “reminds us that the virus is still out there, and cases can go up the moment we let our guard down.”
“ The DOH thus implores the public to get boosted ASAP, as immunity is proven to wane over time. Further, all eligible immunocompromised individuals are encouraged to already get their second booster or 4th dose,” it added.
Aside from encouraging uptake for boosters, the DOH also urged unvaccinated individuals to be vaccinated with the primary series of anti-COVID shots.
On Wednesday, the DOH reported the detection of the country’s first case of the BA.2.12 Omicron subvariant on a 52-year-old Finnish woman who arrived from Finland on April 2.
The woman had a total of 44 close contacts: Nine in Quezon City, five in Benguet, and 30 in the flight she took going to Manila.
She has already recovered and returned to her home country on April 21, the DOH said.
Citing data from the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC), the DOH said on Wednesday that 13 million out of 51 million eligible individuals have so far received their first booster shots.