Fully immunized individuals or those who received the second dose of the anti-COVID vaccine three months ago can now avail of their booster shots in all vaccination sites in Davao City.
During the Special Hours program of 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Monday, December 27, 2021, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte said that those fully vaccinated individuals are eligible for booster shots or the third dose of the anti-COVID vaccines.
“Nareport na po pwede i-shorten ang six months. Kadtong gi-approve na sa DOH na reduced time period within second dose and the booster pwede napo na sya. In fact per report sa Vaccination Cluster (Yes, it’s been reported that the six months can be shortened, the reduced period that the Department of Health approved from second dose and the booster, it is already allowed as per the report of the Vaccination Cluster).”
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, the Spokesperson of the Davao City Task Force COVID-19, also confirmed this on Tuesday, December 28, via a Viber interview with the City Information Office (CIO).
“Okay na tayo magpa-booster. Naabot December 21 ang DOH guidelines, pwede na three months or more from the second dose ang booster shot (We can now administer booster shots. We received the DOH guidelines on December 21, we can administer the booster shot at least three months ago or more from the second dose). Hopefully, DOH will be giving us allocation,” Dr. Schlosser said, adding that Dabawenyos are very receptive to the city’s vaccination rollout.
Given this, Mayor Sara urged Dabawenyos to get their booster jabs as soon as possible.
She said, “Dili napo nato dugay-dugayon pagkuha sa atoang booster. What we’re trying to do, atong unahan ang surge na panghitabo (Let us not delay for too long in getting our boosters. What we’re trying to do, we want to be ahead of the looming surge).”
Of the 1,111,102 fully vaccinated Dabawenyos, only 19,506 so far have gotten their booster shots since booster was allowed for A1 (health care workers), A2 (senior citizens), and A3 (persons with comorbidities).
“Very important ang booster napansin nako medyo gakamang atoang boosters. There is a need to remind sectors already approved for boosters, which is ang atoang health care sector, people with comorbidities, and atoang senior citizens (The booster is very important and I see that we are lagging in our boosters. There is a need to remind sectors that have already been approved for boosters – the health care sector, people with comorbidities, and our senior citizens),” the mayor said.
Public health experts, according to her, see the need for booster shots for continued protection from a severe case of COVID-19.
She added, “We are encouraging all approved na na sector na i-access ang ilahang boosters. There is a need to remind atong mga kaigsoonang Dabwenyos, boosters are already available (We are encouraging all approved sectors to now access their boosters. There is a need to remind our fellow Dabawenyos, boosters are already available). Please get your booster shot of COVID-19.”
Mayor Sara also said that vaccination sites already have a booster lane open for walk-ins. CIO