DOH to revive proposal to redefine 'fully vaccinated' to include first booster jab

The Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday it will propose to the Marcos administration the redefining of the term “fully vaccinated” to include those who have received their first COVID-19 booster shot.

In a television interview, DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said that the DOH had already proposed such a plan to the previous administration, but it was put on hold to prioritize the reopening of the economy badly affected by the pandemic.

“Because our economy was just starting to open then, we were asked to hold it first so that it cannot affect the opening of the economy,” Vergeire said on ANC.

“So we are now again proposing to the Office of the President…we will propose to the Office of the President that our fully vaccinated definition be refined, that we will now include the first booster shot,” she added.

It was former Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion who suggested redefining what a fully vaccinated person is, noting the low booster uptake in the country.

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has consistently reminded the public to get their booster shot as additional protection against COVID-19.

The DOH also launched its PinasLakas campaign with a goal to boost 23.8 million Filipinos or 50% of the eligible population within the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.

It also aims to vaccinate 90% of the target senior citizens within the same period.

Based on DOH’s latest data, 16.6 million Filipinos have now received their booster shots, while 71.9 million are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19. —KBK, GMA News