Low booster uptake, expiring vaccines ‘not encouraging’

PRESIDENTIAL Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Maria “Joey” Concepcion 3rd on Thursday expressed alarm over the slow booster uptake in the Philippines and the approaching expiry of Covid-19 vaccines in the country’s inventory.

Concepcion, founder of Go Negosyo, made the statement following reports that only 13 percent of the targeted population has received booster shots.

“As of mid-March, our total fully vaccinated individuals is 73 percent, but those who have received their booster shots is only 13 percent,” he said in a statement.

“These are not encouraging numbers,” Concepcion added.

Data from the National Vaccination Operations Center showed that only 30 percent of the target population got their booster shots in Metro Manila.

In provinces with fully vaccinated rates of 75 percent or higher, such as the Cordillera Administrative Region and Regions 1, 2 and 3, booster vaccinations are only between 11 and 16 percent.

Concepcion said the slow booster uptake is alarming for many reasons, foremost of which is that millions of Filipinos will soon be overdue for their booster shots.

“While we are still okay right now, we cannot be sure about the second half of the year, when antibodies will wane for most everyone,” he said.

“Vaccines now in stock in the country are also set to expire by June. Beyond that point, where will we get vaccines to address the waning immunity? The vaccines are available here, right now, and we are encouraging the public to take them while they still can,” he added.

While it was first suggested that protection weakens after five months for most vaccines, the Food and Drug Administration shortened the interval between the completion of the primary doses and the booster shot to three months.

The Department of Health gave the green light for booster shots in December when close to 38 million Filipinos have received their second dose of the vaccine.

Meanwhile, the Philippine government’s Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) recommended an additional or fourth dose for immunocompromised individuals and the elderly.

The VEP had said the efficacy of the third shot or the first booster dose decreases over time in these individuals but not so much for healthy people.

“You’re never fully vaccinated unless you have been boostered,” said the Go Negosyo founder, citing the general consensus among experts that antibodies against Covid wane over time.

“A booster shot will give additional protection against severe disease, infection and death from Covid, and protection from its emerging variants,” he added.

Concepcion suggested redefining “fully vaccinated” as individuals who have received a booster dose and that vaccination cards must now have an expiry date and be replaced with booster cards.

In Singapore, the validity of a person’s fully vaccinated status is set at 270 days after the last dose of the primary vaccination series; it is extended after receiving a booster shot. The measure was taken upon the recommendation of Singapore’s vaccine expert committee.

“We have to do this now and face down a possible increase in cases, so we do not slow the reopening of the economy,” Concepcion said.

“I cannot stress enough the urgency of bringing back the vibrancy of our economy, and this depends on the integrity of our wall of immunity, and our wall of immunity is only as strong as the effectiveness of our vaccinations.”