An infectious diseases expert on Friday advised the public against getting a second COVID-19 booster shot as it was still uncertain if that would offer enough benefits.
Dr. Edsel Salvana, a member of the Technical Advisory Group of the Department of Health (DOH), said one booster dose would certainly increase defense against infection and also slightly increases protection against a severe case.
He said experts believed that a second booster shot could only offer a small increase in protection against severe disease.
The administration of the second booster dose would have to be studied further, Salvana said.
âAs of now, our recommendation is to not get a fourth dose, do not get a second booster for now, because its efficacy is not yet certain versus any possible side effects,â he said at the Laging Handa briefing.
Moreover, many people have yet to complete their primary two-dose or single shot vaccine, and this should be the priority, he said. Salvana said ongoing studies to produce the next generation of vaccines or reformulated shots to combat variants of concern could be better candidates for the second booster shot, if this was ever recommended.
If a second booster dose or fourth shot would be offered, it might only be given to a targeted sector, such as health-care workers highly exposed to the coronavirus, and to the vulnerable population, he said.
What is more important is for people to get their primary vaccine, which would give significant protection against severe disease, Salvana said.
The government is aiming to ramp up its vaccination rate, as its third nationwide campaign reached only around 3 million individuals, below its 5-million target, according to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.
The government may hold a fourth national vaccination drive, she said.
âThis is a strategy of the government for us to be able to mop out all of those who are still not vaccinated or all of those who are still yet to receive their booster doses,â Vergeire said.
She also said more than 329,000 children in the 5 to 11 age group received their first dose.
Vergeire urged those who were eligible for a booster shot to get it as soon as possible to increase their protection against COVID-19. (©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2021)
