DOH releases guidelines for 2nd COVID-19 booster shots to general population

The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday released guidelines for the use of second COVID-19 booster shots to the general population.

The DOH said that healthy adults aged 18 and above can receive their second COVID-19 booster shot more than six months after getting their first booster dose.

The department said vaccine brands Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca will be used for the second booster inoculation.

Healthcare workers, aged 50 and above, and persons with comorbidity can receive their second booster jabs after more than three to four months, depending on the brand of the first booster vaccine they received, according to the DOH.

The immunocompromised adults, on the other hand, may get their second booster jabs after more than three months from getting the first booster dose, it said.

The DOH said there is no second booster vaccine available yet for children aged 5 to 17.

Initially, the second booster shots were only made available to frontline healthcare workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities.

Based on the latest data from the DOH, more than 79.1 million Filipinos were already fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while more than 24.1 million Filipinos had received booster shots as of March 16, 2023. —Richa Noriega/ VAL, GMA Integrated News