Push Admin

DOH to keep giving COVID monovalent vaccines after bivalent jabs get green light

Article (news)

Benise Balaoing, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Manila policemen line up to get their COVID-19 vaccine 2nd booster shot. Mores Heramis, ABS-CBN News/File " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/06/14/20220612-mpd-covid-19-booster-mh-1-s.jpg"/><figcaption>Manila policemen line up to get their COVID-19 vaccine 2nd booster shot. <em>Mores Heramis, ABS-CBN News/File </em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said it would continue to give monovalent vaccines to eligible Filipinos despite the grant of an emergency use authorization to bivalent shots against COVID-19.</p><p>Compared to the monovalent vaccines designed to combat the COVID virus that emerged in Wuhan, China at the latter part of 2019, bivalent vaccines provide protection against severe disease from caused by newer variants.</p><p>“Hindi po natin ititigil itong monovalent kasi ito naman po ay epektibo pa rin naman po,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told TeleRadyo. </p><p>(We won’t stop giving monovalent vaccines because these are still effective.)</p><p>“Ito pong bivalent, bibigyan ng additional protection especially po yung ating mga nakakatanda tsaka yung mga vulnerable,” she explained.</p><p>(These bivalent vaccines give additional protection to the elderly and vulnerable populations.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/27/22/fda-oks-emergency-use-for-moderna-pfizer-covid-bivalent-jabs">FDA OKs emergency use for Moderna, Pfizer COVID bivalent jabs</a></li></ul><p>The DOH is expected to release in the coming days the recommendation and guidelines for the priority population.</p><p>The agency is still studying whether bivalent vaccines can be given to the general population, Vergeire said. </p><p>Only 27 percent of the eligible population—or some 21.1 million Filipinos—have received their first booster dose against COVID-19, she noted. </p><p>“Ito pong ating monovalent vaccines ‘no, eto po yung bakunang gingamit natin ngayon, ito po ay ipagpapatuloy pa rin natin ang kampanya nito kahit may bivalent vaccines na po tayo,” the offcial said.</p><p>“Tayo po ay bumibili din nitong bivalent vaccine, siyempre, unang-una para mas maprotektahan yung mga vulnerable natin, kasi po may mga ebidensya nang lumalabas na sa ating nakakatanda, at saka doon sa mga may comorbidities, mas protektado sila kung meron itong bivalent vaccine,” she added.</p><p>(We will continue our campaign for the use of monovalent vaccines, even though we have bivalent ones. We bought the bivalent for additional protection for the elderly and comorbidities, because we have scientific evidence that these will help them.)</p><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=2395532" 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 said it would continue to give monovalent vaccines to eligible Filipinos despite the EU for bivalent shots against COVID-19.

DOH to keep giving COVID monovalent vaccines after bivalent jabs get green light

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

News

DOH to keep giving COVID monovalent vaccines after bivalent jabs get green light

Benise Balaoing,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 28, 2022 11:23 AM PHT

Read More:

COVID

COVID19

COVID19 vaccine

COVID19 vaccine Philippines

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.