MANILA — Bivalent COVID vaccines can now be used as initial boosters, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday.

DOH Undersecretary Enrique Tayag said bivalent vaccines could now be administered as a first or second booster, apart from being used as a third booster for priority sectors.

"Ang ginawa namin para lalong bumilis ‘yan, noong una, para lang sa frontline health workers ‘yan. Ngayon lahat na ng healthworkers. Number 2, lahat ng seniors. Pangatlo, ‘yung immunocompromised," Tayag told ABS-CBN News.

"Tapos noong una para lang sa third booster. Ngayon, kung wala ka pang first and second booster, puwede na rin itong bivalent COVID vaccine."

(What we did to speed up the vaccination, at first, it was only for frontline health workers. Now all health workers can avail of it. Number 2, all seniors. Third, the immunocompromised. Then at first, it was just for the third booster. Now, if you don't have the first and second booster, you can use the bivalent COVID vaccine.)

Bivalent vaccines offer better protection against COVID-19 because they target both the original and omicron strains of the virus.

The DOH has so far administered 49 percent or nearly half of the 390,000 bivalent COVID vaccine doses donated by Lithuania to the Philippines. It expects to use it all up by mid-September.

"Sa 390,000 doses na tinanggap ng Pilipinas mula sa bansang Lithuania, ‘yung bivalent COVID vaccine, nasa 49 percent na ang aming vaccine coverage, ayon sa aming quick count. Dahil dito, kami ay magbubuno pa ng halos isang buwan bago maubos ‘yung kabuuang 390,000 at ‘yan ay base naman sa daily average namin na 6,000 doses ang aming naibibigay sa buong Pilipinas," Tayag said.

(Of the 390,000 doses that the Philippines received from Lithuania, the bivalent COVID vaccine, our vaccine coverage is at 49 percent, according to our quick count. Because of this, it could take nearly a month for the 390,000 doses to be used up. That is based on our daily average of 6,000 doses that we give all over the Philippines.)

While the DOH is fast-tracking the rollout of the donated bivalent COVID jabs, Tayag clarified that the vaccines' expiry date is still 5 months away or on January 2024.

"Para nang sa ganoon ay magiging magaan ang paghingi natin ng kasunod na donasyon mula sa COVAX facility," Tayag said.

"Kasi ang talagang kailangan natin ay 1.5 to 2 million doses. Eh ang natanggap lang natin ay 390,000. Hindi na tayo makakabili, so umaasa tayo sa donasyon," he explained.

(That's for us to easily request for a subsequent donation from the COVAX facility. Because what we really need is 1.5 to 2 million doses. All we received was 390,000. We can't buy anymore, so we rely on donations.)

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