A woman receives her COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up vaccination site in Quezon City on Sept. 5, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA — Adult Filipinos can now get their second COVID-19 boosters at their local health centers, the Department of Health said Tuesday.
"Para naman sa second booster shot for our general population, ito po ay bukas na," DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said in a press briefing.
"Maaari niyo na pong kunin kung kayo po ay 18 years old and above."
The health agency announced on April 12 that the use of the additional jab was approved for general population.
Also eligible to receive the fourth dose are pregnant and lactating women, and immunocompromised individuals.
COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca will be used as the second booster.
The DOH released to local government units the guidelines for the use of second booster last week.
"Ito pong sinasabi nating parang national immunization day or national vaccination day for our second boosters ay sa palagay namin au hindi kailangan sa ngayon," Vergeire said.
"Dahil nga po naipakalat natin ang impormasyon na maari na pong makapagbigay ng second booster among our general population at bukas naman po ang ating mga health center at very accessible from 8 to 5, Monday to Friday ang mga facilities natin," she added.
To date, more than 78.4 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Of the figure, more than 23.8 million have received their first booster dose while almost 4.4 million have gotten the second booster shot.
From April 17 to 23, the Philippines tallied 3,148 COVID-19 cases, which is 32 percent higher compared to the previous week.
RELATED VIDEO