The Department of Health (DOH) has announced that all fully vaccinated adults are eligible to receive Covid-19 booster shots starting today, Friday, December 3, 2021.
Those who have completed their primary series of Covid-19 vaccines, DOH added, can be inoculated with Pfizer, Moderna, Sinovac, AstraZeneca, and Gamaleya, and at least 3 months after getting inoculated with single-dose Janssen regardless of which vaccine brand was administered in the first two doses.
The National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) is set to issue operational guidelines on the implementation of the new order.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that for the A4 and A5 groups, there is a minimum required time interval between their second jabs and the boosters.
“Six months after second dose for all vaccines, except for Janssen, three months after 2nd dose,” Vergeire said.
PRC ‘breakthrough’
Meanwhile, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) said they have exceeded their vaccination target as they administered over 83,000 doses of vaccines in support with the government in the National Vaccination Days from November 29 to December 1, 2021.
“This is a breakthrough for the PRC. No matter what the circumstances are, we are always first, always ready, and always there, fully involved in going the extra mile to help our fellow countrymen,” said PRC Chairman and CEO Senator Richard J. Gordon.
Gordon noted that according to the PRC Health Services, “Our initial target is to provide 53,000 doses for the National Vaccination Days, but we have exceeded our target as we administered a total of 83,532 doses through our 17 Bakuna Centers, 12 Bakuna Bus, and 25 Bakuna Teams for the 3 Day National Vaccination Days.”
“We have also mobilized 800 volunteers, including doctors, nurses, medical and nursing students for the three-day nationwide event,” added PRC Health Service.
Likewise, Gordon encourage everyone, more importantly, the unvaccinated to get their jabs at the nearest Bakuna Centers as soon as possible due to the threat of Omicron variant in the country.
First detected on November 11, 2021, in Botswana, Omicron Variant also, known as B.1.1.529, is a new heavily mutated corona variant. With over 30 mutations on its spike protein, the World Health Organization designated the Omicron Variant as a variant of concern.
On Thursday, the DOH logged 564 additional cases, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 2,833,473.
There were also 694 recoveries and 40 deaths.