By Myris Lee
Infectious Disease Expert Dr. Edsel Salvaña said Monday, June 20, there is no clear data yet that show the general public would benefit from the second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
During the Laging Handa briefing on Monday, Salvaña said the first booster dose is more important to the general public while the second booster is “much more significant for the elderly population.”
“But in the first and the second booster, ‘yung added protection for 60 and above is significant. But below 60, hindi ganoon kalaki ‘yung added benefit. The data is not as clear, kasi iyong mga studies na ginawa for second boosters is really in the elderly population,” Salvaña said.
“Mas maganda kung hintayin natin iyong formulations na kasama ‘yung Omicron sa targets dahil nagsisilabas na ‘yung preliminary data dito and baka mas makatulong siya sa general population na konti na lang ‘yung added benefit kung bibigyan natin ng second booster,” he added.
Salvaña also explained that the expiration date of the vaccine is not a reason to administer the second booster shot to the general public.
“It doesn’t make sense na magbibigay ka ng bakuna na hindi klaro ang evidence dahil lang mag-i-expire siya,” he said
“It is not that simple, hindi po ganiyan dapat nag-iisip sa medicine, dahil ang aming motto ay first, do no harm. And so, unless we have a proven benefit that outweighs the risks, we are not going to give something just because it’s going to expire,” he added. – gb
