Booster shot or additional dose of anti-Covid-19 vaccine will soon become available initially to frontliners in Davao City.
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, bared on Friday that the city government of Davao and the Department of Health 11 (DoH 11) are currently talking about the administration of booster shots of Covid-19 vaccines for medical health frontliners.
However, there is no date yet when to rollout the booster shots.
“We do not have the update yet as to when, but yes, I would confirm na meron na tayong usapan about sa booster dose labi na gyud sa atong frontliners,” Schlosser said.
Last Monday, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio disclosed that the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force has passed a resolution requesting DOH 11 to roll out booster shots for health care workers in all hospitals in the city.
The mayor said that the TF saw the need for a resolution in line with the manpower challenges in the hospitals brought about by the pandemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a booster dose as something administered to a vaccinated person who has already completed a primary vaccination series. A booster dose becomes necessary after the immunity and clinical protection provided by the original shots “has fallen below a rate deemed sufficient in that population.”
In a statement, the DOH stated that the agency is planning for the eventual provision of booster doses, which will continue to prioritize the health care workers and immunocompromised.
However, such rollout will only be greenlighted once conclusive evidence of additional protection is available.
The DOH reiterated that its policies and recommendations underscores principles of evidence-based medicine and equity.
