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DOH studying COVID bivalent jabs as 1st or 2nd booster

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Rowegie Abanto, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Healthcare workers in San Juan City participate in the vaccination rollout to launch the bivalent COVID-19 vaccinations for the A1 category at the FilOil EcoOil Centre. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/07/17/20230621-covid19-bivalent-vaccine-mt4.jpg"/><figcaption>Healthcare workers in San Juan City participate in the vaccination rollout to launch the bivalent COVID-19 vaccinations for the A1 category at the FilOil EcoOil Centre. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday said it was studying whether it could distribute the COVID bivalent vaccines as a first or second booster.</p><p>Currently, bivalent vaccines — which offer better protection against COVID-19 as they target both the original and omicron strains of the virus — are being administered to health workers and senior citizens as a third booster. They should have received their second booster shots at least 4 to 6 months ago.</p><p>&quot;Ang latest dito ay marami ang umaapela sa amin na kung puwede ‘yung bivalent COVID vaccine namin ay maibigay na as first or second booster. Ito ngayon ay pinag-aaralan namin,&quot; DOH Undersecretary Enrique Tayag told reporters at a media briefing.</p><p>(The latest is that many people are appealing to us if our bivalent COVID vaccine can be given as a first or second booster. This is what we are studying now.)</p><p>He underscored that the donated <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/04/23/ph-gets-first-covid-bivalent-vaccine-donated-by-lithuania">390,000 bivalent shots</a> had been allocated exclusively as a third COVID booster to the vulnerable sectors.</p><p>But Tayag said they couldn&#x27;t ignore the clamor especially when the request comes from people at cramped evacuation shelters, where respiratory disease transmission is expected.</p><div><strong>VACCINATION IN EVACUATION</strong></div><p>Tayag said the Albay local government will begin COVID vaccination in Mayon evacuation centers using the bivalent jabs.</p><p>Around 20,000 people living near the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/15/23/prepare-for-possible-lahar-flow-near-mayon-amid-rains-phivolcs">erupting Mayon</a> volcano in Albay have fled their homes and are now staying in evacuation centers for more than a month.</p><p>Tayag noted that health workers, including health volunteers in evacuation sites, and senior citizens would still be prioritized for the rollout of the bivalent vaccines in the province.</p><p>The Philippines started the inoculation of COVID bivalent vaccines <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/21/23/philippines-rolls-out-bivalent-covid-vaccine">last month</a>.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/14/23/doh-distributes-bivalent-jabs-to-regional-offices">DOH distributes bivalent COVID-19 vaccines to regional offices</a></li></ul><div><strong>NO NEW COVID CASES</strong></div><p>Tayag said as of Monday, there are no active coronavirus cases in Albay evacuation centers.</p><p>The 4 COVID cases recorded on July 14 have already yielded negative test results and were released from isolation, he added.</p><p>However, the DOH logged 1,624 acute respiratory infections in the evacuation centers such as cough, colds, and sore throat. </p><p>The DOH reported last week that it had detected <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/12/23/doh-detects-814-new-cases-of-omicron-subvariants">814 new cases of omicron</a> COVID-19 subvariants in the country.</p><p>As of Sunday, there were 5,789 active COVID cases in the Philippines, according to DOH data.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/13/23/supreme-court-junks-petitions-vs-covid-policies">Supreme Court junks petitions vs COVID-19 policies</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/27/23/pfizers-bivalent-covid-19-vaccine-gets-fda-nod">FDA grants product registration for Pfizer’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2723074" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The Department of Health is studying whether it could offer the COVID bivalent vaccines as a first or second booster.

DOH studying COVID bivalent jabs as 1st or 2nd booster

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DOH studying COVID bivalent jabs as 1st or 2nd booster

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 17, 2023 02:00 PM PHT

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COVID

COVID-19

coronavirus

omicron

bivalent vaccine

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Department of Health

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