Health expert hopes 2nd booster will also be given to individuals with comorbidities

An infectious disease expert on Wednesday expressed hope that individuals with comorbidities will be allowed to avail their second booster shot against COVID-19.

Dr. Rontgene Solante said he believes the coverage of the booster shots must be extended, especially since the country has a large supply of vaccines.

Only immunocompromised individuals, frontline healthcare workers, and senior citizens may get their second booster shots at present.

“Titignan natin sana, ma-include na rin ang population na with comorbidities (I hope that the population with comorbidities will also be included),” he said at the Laging Handa briefing.

“Dahil doon sa mga data nakikita natin na kapag meron kang comorbidity and you will get the COVID infection, ‘yung risk ng severe infection and even mortality is also high in this vulnerable population na merong mga comorbidity,” he added.

(Because data shows that if you have a comorbidity, and you get COVID-19 infection, the risk of severe infection and even mortality is also high.)

The  Philippine College of Chest Physicians also previously pushed for proposals seeking to administer second booster shots for persons with comorbidities.

Meanwhile, Dr. Edsel Salvaña of the DOH Technical Advisory Group has said that there is no need yet to administer a second shot to non-immunocompromised individuals. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA News