MANILA – The Department of Health on Tuesday issued guidelines for the nationwide rollout of a second booster shot for COVID-19 for people ages 50 and above, and immunocompromised individuals ages 18 to 49.

Under the guidelines released through the National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center, only the Tozinameran (Pfizer) and Spikevax (Moderna) mRNA vaccines will be used for second booster shots.

The DOH said there must be an interval of at least four months from the first booster shot.

"Eligible individuals may soon check with the announcements of their nearest LGU or private sector vaccination site for the deployment schedules, and are asked to be ready with their vaccination card and valid ID. A medical certificate is NOT required, even for those with comorbidities. The medical screener or doctor at the vaccination site is authorized to assess and make the determination," the department said.

LGUs and vaccination centers have scheduled orientations for the administration of second booster doses, the DOH said, encouraging the public to get in touch with local authorities on their vaccination.

The government earlier Tuesday launched a program aiming to give COVID-19 booster jabs to 23 million eligible individuals within the first 100 days in office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Dubbed "PinasLakas," the program aims to administer an additional dose to 397,000 persons daily within 60 working days, health department officer-in-charge and Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire earlier said.

• Govt launches program for 23 million COVID booster shots

The program also targets fully vaccinating 90 percent of the elderly population and giving a booster shot to 50 percent of the 71 million fully inoculated Filipinos, Vergeire said at PinasLakas' official launch.

Some 6.7 million or 77.87 percent of the target elderly population have received their primary series, while 15.9 million have received an additional vaccine dose, according to DOH data released Monday.

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