MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Department of Health (DOH) has verified that a hospital in the National Capital Region (NCR) gave second COVID-19 vaccination boosters to health workers and older residents who were not yet eligible to receive it.

DOH stated in a statement that hospital management indicated that “they accidentally misinterpreted guidelines.”

The health agency stated that they are looking into the incident, but that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only provided the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for ICP individuals in the A1 and A2 categories.

“The Department of Health is looking into reports that a hospital in NCR has administered second boosters to frontline healthcare workers and senior citizens who are not immunocompromised (ICP),” DOH said.

This has led the department and the National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) to offer assistance and speak with healthcare institutions and public vaccination sites in order to guarantee that such misinterpretations of the guidelines do not happen again.

“The DOH and NVOC are currently cooperating with the relevant Health Care Facilities and Vaccination locations to prevent further instances of these events. The facilities in question have now since returned to administering boosters to ICPs only,” DOH stated.

Senior individuals, frontline healthcare workers, and immunocompromised people may be given a second booster shot under an enhanced emergency use authorization approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The Health Technology Assessment Council has finished recommendations for a second booster shot for immunocompromised patients, but it is currently evaluating data for senior persons and healthcare staff.

As an added layer of protection, the government aims to vaccinate 7,000 to 13,000 of the 690,000 Filipinos considered most vulnerable by May. – WhatALife!

Source: (newsinfo.inquirer.net)

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