MANILA - The Department of Health has submitted more evidence to the Food and Drug Administration in its application for a second COVID-19 booster for the vulnerable sector and an additional dose for teens.

The DOH last month applied at the FDA for the amendment of the emergency use authorization of coronavirus jabs to include a fourth dose for the elderly and immunocompromised.

The agency last week announced it also sought to amend the EUA of COVID-19 shots for children ages 12 to 17 to include a booster shot.

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"They responded and requested from us additional evidence... We were able to submit additional evidence from our evidence generation team at ito po ay pinag-aaralan na ng FDA," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told reporters.

Around 66.7 million people in the country have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, as of Monday, according to Vergeire. Of this figure, 12.5 million have received their booster shots while 47.8 million have yet to receive it, she said.

Some 9 million teens and 1.3 million children ages 5 to 11 have been fully vaccinated, Vergeire added.

Metro Manila, the Cordilleras, Ilocos region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon have the highest coverage of fully vaccinated and boosted individuals, according to the DOH spokesperson.

Soccksargen and the Bangsamoro have the lowest coverage, she said, adding that special vaccination days will be held after Ramadan.

Some Muslims are hesitant to get the jab as they are concerned it is not "Halal" or permissible to the Islam faith, said Dr. Lulu Bravo, executive director of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination.

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Government and Muslim health experts must coordinate to educate the public and dispel misinformation, she said.

The DOH has attributed the decline in virus infections to high vaccination rate and adherence to minimum health standards. The country's COVID-19 cases have plateaued as it recorded 1,903 cases last week or an average of 271 infections per day, Vergeire said.

The Philippines' positivity rate has also dropped to 1.6 percent this week, from 1.8 last week, she added.

Video courtesy of PTV