Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 16) — Malacañang on Monday discouraged persons from getting booster shots from other local government units, noting that many people have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Marami pa pong hindi nababakunahan…Antayin muna natin magkaroon ng bakuna ang karamihan ng ating mga kababayan bago tayo mag-booster shot,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a Palace briefing.
[Translation: Many are not yet vaccinated…Let’s wait until everyone is vaccinated before we get our booster shot.]
This was the reaction of Malacañang following reports of people going to other LGUs for additional vaccine doses. Although it is not illegal, the Department of Health said booster shots are prohibited due to the lack of safety and efficacy data, and the unstable supply of vaccines in the country.
However, the Palace said overseas Filipino workers and seafarers can get vaccinated again with the required brand of their employers.
“Siguro we can make an exemption sa mga OFWs, mga seafarers na kinakailangan magpabakuna ng Western brands dahil ayun naman po ay requirement ng kanilang mga employers,” said Roque.
[Translation: I think we can make an exemption on OFWs and seafarers who are required to get vaccinated with Western brands according to the requirement of their employers.]
Master list
Roque said the Department of Information and Communications Technology is still working on the master list for the government’s vaccination program.
“Meron po tayong ginagawang master list, ‘yan po ay proyekto ng DICT,” he said. “Kaya lang po, gaya nang hindi naman natin inaasahan talaga itong pandemyang ito, we’ve had to make that master list as we go along. So kaunting pasensya lang po.”
[Translation: We are working on a master list, which is a project by the DICT. However, since we did not really expect this pandemic, we’ve had to make that master list as we go along. So we ask for your patience.]
Roque added that local government units are already uploading the data of people who were already vaccinated.
As of Aug.15, a total of 27,806,881 vaccine doses have been administered, where 15,241,864 individuals have received at least their first dose and 12,565,017 have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to government data.
