With ample proof of efficacy, 90% of health workers willing to get COVID booster shot — DOH

(REUTERS)

MANILA, Philippines — More than 90 percent of health workers recently surveyed are willing to get COVID-19 booster shots,  if there is enough evidence to warrant its safety and efficacy, Department of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday.

According to DOH, a total of 10,525 healthcare workers took part in the survey conducted from September 15 to 21.

Only around 50 percent, however, said they are willing to get the booster shots, even if it is not recommended by experts and there is insufficient evidence on its safety, according to Vergeire.

“So kung titingnan natin, talagang pinaniniwalaan naman po ang science and evidence among our healthcare workers. Kailangan lang po ipaliwanag sa kanila nang mas maayos. But definitely hindi tayo sarado sa booster. We also would like to recommend that but we need to complete the evidence,” she added.

(Our healthcare workers believe in science and evidence. We just need to explain it better to them. But definitely we are not closing our doors on booster shots. We also would like to recommend that but we need to have sufficient evidence.)

Vergeire noted that a budget is already being proposed for booster doses so that once evidence is complete, they can already be administered especially to healthcare workers and immunocompromised individuals.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire (Screengrab from DOH Facebook page)

The health official bared the results of the survey after vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government is pushing to administer booster shots for health workers by November or December in order to provide them additional protection against COVID-19.

Vergeire stressed that local vaccine experts have already provided a recommendation and have found out that there is no complete evidence yet for the need to provide booster doses.

“Napag-aralan na po ng ating mga eksperto itong booster doses or third doses. Nakapagbigay na rin po sila ng kanilang mga rekomendasyon at nakita po sa mga pag-aaral na isinagawa na wala pa pong sapat na ebidensya para magbigay tayo ng third doses sa ngayon. We cannot guarantee that these booster doses will really protect our healthcare workers,” she explained.

(Our experts have already studied booster doses. They have already provided a recommendation. Based on studies conducted, there is no sufficient evidence for booster doses at this time. We cannot guarantee that these booster doses will really protect our healthcare workers.)

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