In a press conference on Friday, November 11, 2022, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the problems experienced by the Department of Health (DOH) regarding the low uptake of first booster shots are also happening for the second booster shots.
“Whatever challenges we saw in the first booster rollout, we are also experiencing it for the second booster shots,” said Vergeire.
Data shows that only 3.4 million of the target population have been administered with their second booster shots.
There are a total of 20.7 million healthcare workers, senior citizens, immunocompromised individuals and people with comorbidities that are eligible for second booster shots.
Vergeire said the low uptake of the second booster shots are direct effects of the meager coverage of the first booster doses.
“If we have low uptake of the 1st booster shots among A1 (healthcare workers), A2 (elderly) and A3 (immunocompromised, comorbidities), therefore, they cannot get their second boosters,” said Vergeire.
As of November 9, there were 1.77 million healthcare workers that have been given their first booster shots.
A total of 2.74 million senior citizens, on the other hand, have received their first booster shots.
As for people with comorbidities and are immunocompromised, first booster shots have been given to 3.07 million. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)