Fully vaccinated medical frontliners can start getting their booster shots on, Nov. 17 to increase their defenses against COVID-19, the Department of Health said.
The DOH released the guidelines for booster doses eight months after the government rolled out its COVID-19 vaccination program.
Here's a guide for medical workers, who are part of A1 priority group:
Which vaccine brands are approved as booster doses for A1 priority?
Based on the general guidelines, these are the vaccines allowed as booster dose for medical frontliners:
- Pfizer/BioNTech
- Moderna
- Sinovac
- AstraZeneca
What are the recommended booster vaccine combinations?
According to the guidelines, those who received Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Moderna can get the same brand of vaccine as their booster shot. They can also get a different brand, depending on which one they got for the first two doses.
Those who completed the Sputnik V series cannot receive the same brand as booster for now. They can only get either AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna as booster.
The interval for booster should be at least six months after completion of two doses.
For those who were administered the one-shot Janssen vaccine, boosters should be given at least three months after the initial jab. They can only receive AstraZeneca, Pfizer, or Moderna as their booster dose.
"The EUA tells us what combinations will be safe. However, operational guideline was crafted based on realities on the ground, including availability of vaccines. We cannot recommend it and let people expect it is available across the entire country, when in fact we have more limited doses of it versus other brands," the DOH said.
Can frontliners choose the brand for booster shot?
Yes, according to the DOH, subject to brand availability.
Where can frontliners get booster shots?
All COVID-19 Bakuna Center Registry health facilities with A1 employees are allowed to vaccinate booster doses, the DOH said.
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