By Alec Go
An infectious disease specialist on Saturday (May 22) said COVID-19 vaccines are safe for pregnant women and individuals with tattoos.
According to Dr. Anna Lisa Ong-Lim, having a tattoo is not a contraindication of the vaccine, and persons with tattoos are safe to get vaccinated.
“Hindi po bawal mabakunahan ang may mga tattoo, kahit doon pa po mismo sa braso kung saan nakalagay iyong tattoo puwede naman po,” she said.
This was after Camarines Sur Mayor Anthony Reyes shared he was administered with the vaccine on his buttocks after he was advised not to get vaccinated on his tattooed arm.
“Unless siguro bagong tattoo po si mayor na baka medyo sari-sariwa pa iyong ginalaw doon kaya nag-aalangan siguro si doctor na irekomenda sa braso ibakuna, maaring ganoon nga iyong situation,” she said.
She added that another reason for administering the vaccine in other areas of the body is vaccine reaction assessment.
“Baka naman napakalaki iyong tattoo doon sa area na iyon, hindi na nila halos makilala kung mamamaga man o mamumula, pwede pong isang dahilan iyon,” she said.
The doctor said breastfeeding individuals and pregnant women can also be vaccinated after their first trimester, saying that the vaccine has no reason to cause harm to the child.
Meanwhile, Lim said brand preference is among the factors of vaccine hesitancy among Filipinos.
She, however, said that efficacy numbers which are being used as a basis for preference are “very fluid” since clinical trials were conducted in different settings.
“May influence talaga kung kailan, saan at sino iyong mga nabigyan ng bakuna, kaya mahirap i-compare. Therefore kung iyon lang ang pinagbabasehan ng brand preference, medyo hindi siya magandang basehan, kasi hindi stable,” she said. -rir
