BOOSTED. Healthcare workers at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in Batac City, Ilocos Norte get their third booster dose of the coronavirus disease 2019 vaccine, which is a bivalent one from Pfizer, on Tuesday (June 13, 2023). The hospital's medical chief, Dr. Maria Lourdes Otayza, led the ceremonial rollout of the vaccine in Ilocos Norte. (Photo courtesy of MMMH&MC)
LAOAG CITY – The province of Ilocos Norte has begun rolling out the Pfizer bivalent vaccine against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
On Tuesday, Dr. Maria Lourdes Otayza, medical chief of the government-run Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Batac City, was among the first recipients of the bivalent vaccine meant as a third dose of protection against Covid-19.
In a media interview, she said they will take phased approach in rolling out the vaccines to prioritize the protection of healthcare workers and the most vulnerable population such as senior citizens.
“This shall be given as a third booster dose for individuals aged 18 years old and above belonging to priority groups A1 (healthcare workers) and A2 (senior citizens) at least four (4) months after inoculation with a second booster dose,” she added.
After finalizing the guidelines on the use of the bivalent vaccine, the Department of Health delivered a total of 23,460 doses for the pilot rollout of the vaccine in 12 hospitals including all five DOH hospitals in the Ilocos Region.
As one of the pilot areas, the MMMH&MC in Batac City is spearheading the facility-based implementation in Ilocos Norte to be followed by the Rural Health Units and City Health Offices once the measles rubella-bivalent oral polio supplemental immunization activity is completed this week.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration, the bivalent Covid-19 vaccines include a component of the original virus strain to provide broad protection against Covid-19 and a component of the Omicron variant.
The DOH has secured an initial donation of around 1 million doses of bivalent Covid-19 Pfizer vaccines from the COVAX Facility, the worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.
“Once additional doses are secured and available, prioritization may be expanded to other priority groups,” the DOH said in an earlier statement. (PNA)
