Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 25) — The World Health Organization recommended the third dose of COVID-19 vaccination in phases with Chinese brands, an official said on Monday.
“Our recommendation is we start with the severely immunocompromised; we start with the over 80s, then move to the over 70s, and finally, move to the over 60s,” Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative to the Philippines, said during a briefing.
Abeyasinghe said immunocompromised people cannot develop and sustain the level of immunity to protect them from severe infection and death.
“In these groups, immunocompromised and the elderly who received Sinovac or Sinopharm, they appear to require a third dose,” he added.
The official said WHO is suggesting a third dose, not a booster shot.
“This is different from booster. When we talk about booster, we are talking of boosting the immunity in a general population. WHO is not heading to that at this point of time,” Abeyasinghe explained.
Abeyasinghe said people in the elderly group who have yet to receive a single dose should still be prioritized.
The Department of Health on Monday also approved the recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council to administer COVID-19 booster doses for medical frontliners and senior citizens, and extra shots for immunocompromised patients.
READ: DOH approves guidelines for booster and additional COVID-19 vaccines, but no rollout yet
This program will be rolled out once the DOH secures the required documents and guidelines.
Abeyasinghe expressed support for the government’s decision to expand the coverage of pediatric vaccination.
However, he said the country should be “very conscious” of the equity issue.
The COVID-19 vaccination of young Filipinos with comorbidities aged 12 to 17 will be launched nationwide on Oct. 29, according to Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr., vaccine czar and chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19.
Vaccines manufactured by western brands Pfizer and Moderna are the only ones authorized for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration in the vaccination of minors.
