By Katrina Gracia Consebido
A health expert renewed her call to the public to get their COVID-19 vaccine booster shots amid the threat of a possible COVID-19 case resurgence by the middle of May.
Dr. Nina Gloriani, chairperson of the country’s Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP), said getting vaccinated and booster shots, as well as health protocol compliance, can help address the possible resurgence of cases.
“You have to take the primary muna bago iyong first dose – very clear na iyong first dose [ay] magandang, maganda ang proteksiyon at iyong fourth dose ay makakatulong pa rin dito sa surge, but of course ang minimum public health protocols,” Gloriani said in the April 21 Laging Handa briefing.
She said the government is facing challenges on the “last leg” of innoculation to fully vaccinate 90% of the country’s population by the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s term.
“But the government is trying its best para ma-reach natin iyong ating goal, medyo mahirap ‘no pero we have to really, really try very hard na suyurin iyong mga hindi pa nababakunahan,” she said.
Meanwhile, VEP is waiting for the recommendation of Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC) for the administration of the second booster shots which will prioritize senior citizens, immunocompromised individuals, and frontline health workers. –ag
