The Department of Health (DOH) approved the rollout of the second booster of COVID-19 vaccine for the immunocompromised individuals.

"About the roll out of the 2nd booster dose for now, we limit this for the immunocompromised individuals. What I approved for now is based on the recommendation of the Health Technology Assessment Council which is the second booster dose for the immunocompromised patients," Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said during the ''Laging Handa'' virtual public briefing on Friday,

Duque said the information about the immunocompromised individuals which includes people who have received an organ transplant, cancer and patients, individuals diagnosed with weak immune system and other diseases will be included in the guidelines being crafted by the DOH.

"All of these will be in the implementing guidelines which we are currently creating, so that next week we can start its rollout," he said.

The DOH said vaccine brands allowed to serve as fourth dose (second booster) are AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.

Duque also noted that the health worker frontliners and senior citizens cannot yet get their second booster dose next week as it is still being studied by the Health Technology Assessment Council (HTAC).

"I will just repeat, this will not yet include the healthcare frontliners, senior citizens, it is only for immunocompromised individuals. For the A1 or healthcare workers and for the senior citizens next week, it will still have to be studied by our Health Technology Assessment Council," he said.

Duque said after the study, the HTAC will also have to make a recommendation for the inoculation of a second booster dose for A1 and A2.

The rollout of second dose for healthcare frontliners, senior citizens will also start once the DOH completed its implementing guidelines. Robina Asido/DMS