Get bivalent COVID-19 shots, DOH urges public

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas urges the public to be vaccinated with bivalent COVID-19 vaccines.

Bivalent vaccines target specific variants of COVID-19, like the more transmissible Omicron, and can serves as a first, second, or third booster shot against the deadly disease. 

Last June 2023, around 390,000 Bivalent vaccines were donated to the Philippines from Lithuania. 

Eligibility

According to DOH, Filipinos under the priority group A1 (frontline healthcare workers), A2 (senior citizens), and A3 (adults with comorbidity) can avail the vaccine for free.

Sub-priority groups such as immediate family members of healthcare workers, and pregnant and lactating women can also be able eligible to get the dose. 

The said groups can get their dose of the vaccine at least four to six months after their most recent COVID-19 vaccination. 

No severe side effects reported

Getting a dose of bivalent vaccine can lessen the chances of severe cases of COVID-19, said Anthony Cu, director of DOH Central Office Field Implementation and Coordination Team- Field Operations System Mangament.

He also stated that they are constantly monitoring the bivalent COVID-19 vaccination. He said that since the start of implementation, there has been no reported cases of severe side effects yet.

Vaccinated in Cebu

There are 5,640 doses of bivalent vaccines allocated for Cebu City and since June 26 to August 2, 4,715 eligible Cebuanos were already administered. 

Cebu Province was given 2,160 doses, 90 of which has already been administered; Lapu-Lapu City has 1,200 doses and 180 doses were already administered; while Mandaue City has 900 doses and 596 were already administered.

14,100 doses of bivalent vaccines are allocated for Central Visayas.

Hoping for more

As of July 2023, there are already 124,551 Filipinos nationwide under the priority group who were vaccinated with bivalent vaccines; 6,402 of which are from Central Visayas. 

“We really appreciate the efforts from our healthcare workers and all of those people involved in this bivalent vaccination and please continue to exert more effort to make sure that all those who want to avail these vaccines will be given,” Cu said in a press conference last Thursday, August 3. 

He also requested to those who have not yet been vaccinated in the priority group to get their dose of bivalent vaccine. 

“When it’s your turn, make sure you get the vaccine because it is still provided by the government free of charge as of now and we contribute to the betterment and well-being of our kababayan,” added Cu.

Cu also said that they are in active negotiation with the COVAX facility to get more doses of bivalent vaccines.

“We need to show to COVAX facility that any donation of bivalent vaccine is going to be fully utilized and vaccinated to the Filipinos,” he added. 

DOH is still negotiating to acquire another two million doses of bivalent vaccines from COVAX facility by the end of the year. 

/bmjo

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