Some 50 percent of healthcare workers are not willing to get booster shots without experts' recommendation, the Department of Health said Friday.
This emerged as KLKOVID chairman Dr. Anthony Leachon urged the DOH to “clairfy with urgency” its stand on the need for anti-COVID booster shots.
In doing so, he said the DOH would alleviate the plight and fears of those who have been vaccinated as early as March 2021. Many of those who were first administered the vaccines were health workers.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, during a media forum, said the DOH conducted a survey on 10,525 respondents from September 15 to September 21.
“When we asked if they are willing to get booster shots without sufficient evidence and recommendation from experts, the answers decreased to 50 percent,” Vergeire said.
“So if you look at it, our healthcare workers really believe in science and evidence,” she said.
When asked if they are willing to get booster shots with sufficient evidence and recommendation from experts, Vergeire said more than 90 percent answered in the affirmative.
Vergeire previously said there was no evidence yet proving that booster shots might provide complete protection against COVID-19.
She said the DOH had explained this to healthcare workers and that she believed they reached an understanding.
Vergeire also asked for understanding from healthcare workers and urged them to refrain from resigning. She said the DOH was moving for the release of the budget for their benefits.
“I ask our healthcare workers for more patience. We are doing everything with these benefits that are accorded and needed by you,” she said.
“The Secretary of Health has requested for the release of, I think, P2 billion-plus for your meals, accommodation, and transportation,” she said.
She said they have allocated funds for the benefits of healthcare workers under the agency’s budget for 2022.
“For next year's budget, we ensured that the benefits for the healthcare workers are included until the end of the year,” Vergeire said.
Leachon, former adviser of the government’s adviser of National Task Force on COVID-19, said global resources and experiences from neighboring countries suggest administering booster shots six months after the preliminary vaccine series.
He noted the US-FDA had amended the Emergency Use Authorization of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to allow a booster dose six months after the initial inoculation for persons who are 65 years old and above and those 18 to 64 years old but at high risk of severe COVID and high risk due to exposure at work.
Leachon hoped the government would immediately decide and act on the booster shots as “we seek protection and better COVID management in the new normal.”
Meanwhile, more than 2.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines made from the United States and United Kingdom arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Friday.
The shipment – consisting of 661,100 doses of AstraZeneca and 2,132,140 Moderna — landed at the NAIA Terminal 1 around 9:35 a.m. on board China Airlines flight CI701.
Government officials led by Health secretary Francisco Duque III, National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr., Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Benjamin Abalos Jr. welcomed the shipment's arrival.
Galvez said the government had updated the proposed guidelines for the inoculation of the adolescent population which will begin Oct. 15.
He said the initial rollout of the vaccination for individuals within the 12 to 17 age group would now be launched in eight hospitals in Metro Manila instead of the six facilities that were initially identified.
These hospitals include the National Children’s Hospital, Philippine Heart Center, Pasig City Children’s Hospital, Fe Del Mundo Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, Makati Medical Center, St. Luke’s Medical Center and Philippine Children’s Medical Center.
“Initially we had six hospitals, but now all of them are interested to be included in the list. Even Iloilo and Cebu want to have the pilot project there," said Galvez.
He noted that the program will prioritize those belonging to the 12 to 17 year-old age bracket with comorbidities.
“The vaccination is important. Based on research, for every five serious cases, there is one child,” Galvez said.
Galvez explained that 12 to 17 year-olds with comorbidities will be integrated with Priority Group A3, while the rest of the population from the said age group will be included in Priority Group C.
The rest of the adult population will be collapsed into one category, which is Priority Group B.