IN areas where the administering teams have prepared for the rollout, inoculations for the second booster doses to priority individuals have started since May 19.
And even before Bohol could get 80% of its eligible population given the complete doses of the protective vaccine against coronavirus disease, authorities at the national COVID Vaccine Deployment and Vaccination Campaign (CVDVC) has issued the guidance for the roll-out of second booster doses.
Through Advisory No. 154, CVDVC has officially started the rollout for the second booster dose, prioritizing those workers in the essential health services and the senior citizens.
Issued to lay the guidelines for regional and local vaccine operations centers, implementing units and vaccination sites administering the second COVID booster doses for frontline medical workers 18 years old and above and in high risk environments and senior citizens, the Advisory also provides the timing to give the booster dose.
In reference to the Department of Health’s Department Memorandum No. 2022-0206 otherwise known as, “Interim Operational Guidelines on the Administration of 2nd COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses to Senior Citizens and Frontline Healthcare Workers ages 18 Years Old and Above”, Priority Groups A1: Workers in Essential Health Services and A2: Senior Citizens are eligible to be inoculated with a second COVID-19 booster dose, either homologous or heterologous, the advisory said.
At this, the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) provided reminders to all RVOCs, LVOCs, Implementing Units and Vaccination Sites, individuals 18 years old and above belonging to Priority Groups A1 or Workers in Essential Health Services (including all its sub-groups) and A2 or Senior Citizens are eligible to be given a 2nd COVID-19 booster dose, either homologous or heterologous.
In fact, as to the advisory, those previously categorized individuals under Priority Group A1: Workers in Frontline Health Services are still qualified to be given the 2nd COVID-19 booster doses.
The guidelines also said that based on the recommendations of HTAC and World Health Organization, since the following COVID-19 vaccines have approved Emergency Use Authority issued by the Philippine FDA, tozinameran / Comirnaty [Pfizer] COVID-19 vaccine and Spikevax [Moderna] COVID-19 vaccine shall be used for the administration of 2nd booster doses to priority groups.
It also said the 2nd booster dose shall be administered at least four months after the third dose or the first booster dose. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
