Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 16) — The government will start inoculating eligible Filipinos with bivalent COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday at the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) in Quezon City, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.
According to a memorandum issued by the DOH last March, an individual may get a bivalent vaccine after at least four to six months of receiving their second booster shot.
READ: DOH rolls out bivalent vaccines, plans to procure more
A total of 390,000 doses of bivalent vaccines donated by the Lithuanian government arrived in the country on June 3.
Heath Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, meanwhile, instructed his executive committee to intensify the vaccination efforts for further protection against the coronavirus and to also avoid vaccine wastage.
“People should not be complacent, especially the senior citizens who are high-risk individuals and persons taking care of those with COVID-19,” he said. “Vaccines are proven to be safe, effective and free. I am encouraging all eligible to get boosted in the vaccination sites nearest to you.”
According to the Food and Drug Administration, bivalent vaccines include a component that not just corresponds to the original COVID-19 strain but also provides better protection against the Omicron variant and its subvariants.
The OCTA Research previously reported that the COVID-19 positivity rate in Metro Manila continued to drop from 19.9% on May 30 to 14.6% on June 6.
Despite the downward trend, the secretary reminded the public that the threat of COVID-19 infection persists.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to attend the vaccination ceremony set for June 21.
