Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 17) – The Department of Health (DOH) is studying the possibility of using bivalent vaccines as first and second booster shots, an official said Monday.
“Marami ang umaapela sa amin na kung pwede ay ‘yong bivalent COVID vaccine namin ay maibigay na as first and second booster. Ito ngayon ay pinag-aaralan namin,” DOH Undersecretary Enrique Tayag said in a press briefing.
[Translation: They are appealing to us if we can give the bivalent COVID vaccine as first and second booster. We are now studying it.]
The health official did not specify who are the appellants but noted that Mayon evacuees were one of them.
He added that the first batch of over 390,000 doses of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Lithuanian government last month were allocated only for a third booster.
“Binukod po ‘yan para lamang sa third booster. Kaya lang ayaw naman naming isaalang-alang ‘yong apela lalong lalo na kung ito ay galing sa mga evacuation camps,” Tayag said.
[Translation: That is allocated only for a third booster. But we don’t want to disregard the appeal especially when it came from the evacuation camps.]
Bivalent vaccines are currently given to health care workers and senior citizens at least four to six months after receiving their second booster shot.
READ: DOH allots anticipated bivalent vaccines as 3rd booster for healthcare workers, seniors
On June 26, the Albay Provincial Health Office reported that four of thousands of Mayon evacuees tested positive for COVID-19.
READ: Four Mayon evacuees test positive for COVID-19
But as of Monday, Tayag said there’s no more active cases of COVID-19 among the evacuees. He added that the four reported cases have already recovered.
