Galvez admits booster shots vs COVID-19 still low
National Task Force (NTF) COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. admits that the number of booster shots administered are still low.
During the Talk To The People with President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday night, Galvez said people are feel confident against COVID-19 with the first two doses.
"We see that the administration of booster shots is low and our boostering is slow. Because we see that our people are already confident with the two doses. But many experts were saying that we need a booster, because after three months and four months, our vaccines wane," he said.
This was also explained by Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergierre during the ''Laging Handa'' virtual public briefing on Tuesday.
"The booster doses provide longer lasting protection and immunity against COVID-19. You should not worry if the brand of your primary vaccine is different from the brand of booster doses we provide," she said.
Galvez also reported that the vaccine hesitancy in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is still high as it remains to be the region with lowest vaccination rate in the country.
"The lowest is still the BARMM. This is why tomorrow, Mr. President, with your guidance, I will go to Zamboanga and where there will be pediatric vaccination and I will also go to Basilan to encourage our Muslim brothers to get vaccinated because we see that their hesitation is very high," he said.
"If we see, their percentage is 28 percent. It doesn't go up. So with the directive of Sec. Duque and the National Task Force, Sec. Del (fin Lorenzana), we will go to Zamboanga in Region IX and also doon in the BARMM area, in Basilan," he added.
However, Galvez said the government has recorded 10 regions with at least 70 percent vaccination rate.
"We have recorded 10 regions with high coverage of 70 percent and above, and five of which have above 80 percent vaccination coverage," he said.
"It included NCR, Region I, and II, and III, CAR, Region IV-A, and the at Region IV. And all these are in color green, at least mayroon they have 70 percent second dose, including Region VIII and Region VII," he added. Robina Asido/DMS
