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CEBU CITY, Philippines – Local experts said more studies are needed while a set of guidelines should be formulated before they can proceed in inoculating people with booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“We needed more studies and guidelines for the panel for vaccination before we can even entertain booster shots,” said Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, the spokesperson of the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC).
For now, Loreche said Central Visayas will have to stick with the two-dose regimen.
Countries around the world are considering having their citizens inoculated against COVID-19 with three doses of the vaccines if it meant providing additional protection against the more infectious Delta variant.
The Delta variant was first found in India early this year.
In the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) has not yet allowed vaccinees to receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
DOH said that local experts do not recommend the use of booster shots for now, as there is yet no sufficient evidence to prove the need for a third or additional doses.
The same goes for mixing and matching vaccines of different brands, they added. / with reports from INQUIRER.net
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