SENIOR citizens and immunocompromised individuals may bring another household member, who shall also be eligible to receive a vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Under the A2+1 and A3+1 household member vaccination strategy, Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said a caregiver or relative living in the same house as a senior citizen may also get vaccinated.
“To encourage the senior citizens to receive the vaccine, the national government has allowed them to bring along a kasambahay or relative, or whoever lives in the same house with them,” Vergeire said in a town hall session Wednesday.
Vergeire also said an immunocompromised person under priority group A3 may also bring another household member.
“Only those who are immunocompromised such as those suffering from cancer and undergoing chemotherapy as well as those who underwent organ transplant may bring along another household member,” she added.
The DOH All Experts Group, however, does not recommend pediatric vaccinations yet.
Vergeire said vaccinating the children may affect the vaccine supply intended for eligible groups, such as the senior citizens.
She said Covid-19 mortality and morbidity data across age groups do not show any urgency in vaccinating children at this time.
The DOH is sticking to the cocoon strategy that calls for vaccinating vulnerable adults to protect the children and general population.
The DOH experts also do not recommend booster shots at this time, Vergeire said.
“Vaccines alone do not stop transmission (of Covid19). Compliance to minimum public health standards and PDITR (prevent, detect, isolate, treat and reintegrate) strategy is more important in ending the pandemic,” Vergeire said. (Marites Villamor-Ilano / SunStar Philippines)