By Alec Go
The Department of Health (DOH) urged COVID-19 vaccine recipients anew on Saturday to get vaccinated with their second dose as scheduled to “get the maximum potential of the vaccine.”
Earlier this week, the department said around 113,000 individuals have missed their second shot due to COVID-19 exposure and infection, quarantine, among others.
“Halimbawa po, naka-first dose lang kayo. Iyang ibibigay sa inyong proteksiyon ay mababa pa lang compared kung kukunin mo iyong second dose na makakakuha ka ng almost 100% protection from severe infections and dying and hospitalizations,” DOH USec. Maria Rosario Vergeire said in the June 5 Laging Handa briefing.
Vergeire also cited experts’ advice to provide a two- to four-week allowance for second dose administration.
“Ang sinasabi rin naman po ng ating mga eksperto sa bakuna, iyong mga existing vaccines natin ngayon dito sa bansa aside from COVID-19, kapag iyong second dose ay na-miss… up to one year naibibigay naman,” she said.
“Pero gusto nating bigyan ng timeline itong second dose para hindi naman masyadong ma-delay ang ating mga kababayan. So, we’re putting this from two weeks to four weeks, at para sila ay makapagpabakuna pa,” she added.
Meanwhile, the official said they are searching for a possible method to verify the inoculation of passengers abroad after the government shortened the quarantine period for passengers vaccinated in the country only.
The new policy cutting fully vaccinated individuals’ quarantine from 10 to seven days upon arrival “does not cover foreign nationals, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and Filipinos who have been fully vaccinated abroad.”
Vergeire said there are now proposals from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), other agencies, and bilateral agreements with the host country of returning Filipino on the verification system. -rir
