MANILA - With limited studies on the efficacy of booster shots, the Department of Health on Wednesday reminded health care workers to stick to its guidelines and receive only one additional dose.

"From the safety principle standpoint, we want to give the lowest possible dose that is effective, otherwise you raise the risk for reactions. We don't know what will happen to them, and that is why we say, please follow the guidelines." said Dr. Edsel Salvaña of the DOH Technical Advisory Group.

Getting a booster shot before the advised six months since the second dose is also highly discouraged, said Dr. Anna Ong-Lim, also present at the Town Hall meeting on COVID-19 Boosters for Health Care Workers.

"Let's try to stay within the guidelines para hindi tayo masyado magkaroon ng unforeseen reactions (Let's try to stay within the guidelines so we don't risk unforeseen reactions)." Ong-Lim said.

Data on booster shots are still evolving, Ong-Lim and Salvaña reminded.

But because many health care workers are already past six months since receiving their second dose from the primary series of vaccines, the health department opted to go ahead with the booster launch on Nov. 17, two days after the Food and Drug Administration released emergency use authorization for administering booster shots.

Ong-Lim assured health care workers, however, that there is room to wait for more studies to be published and released.

"Hindi naman idi-discontinue ang booster program, in fact mag-e-expand pa nga ito to include A2, and A3, so huwag kabahan na mawawala 'yung opportunity kung hindi magpupunta ngayon na."

("the booster program will continue and even expand to include A2 and A3 priority groups, so you don't have to worry about losing your opportunity to get a booster if you don't want to get it yet.")

One full dosage of Sinovac, Astrazeneca, and Pfizer COVID-19 shots will be administered as boosters. Meanwhile, Moderna boosters will only be administered with half a dosage, or 0.25ml.

Immunocompromised health care workers are required to bring medical certificates declaring their conditions, and clearance from their attending physicians. Their vaccination will take place in special units where they will be placed under additional monitoring.

Those with a history of allergies are recommended to get inactivated vaccines such as Sinovac as boosters.

Pregnant health care workers are also advised to get a homologous combination, or the same brand of vaccine as their primary series for their booster, and to consult with their respective OB-GYN before getting inoculated with a booster shot.

Families and those who live in the same households as medical frontliners are not qualified to get booster shots despite being considered part of the A1 extended population.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the EUA granted by the FDA only allows booster shots for three sectors: health care workers, seniors, and those with comorbidities.

Additional guidelines will be released for the administration of boosters for seniors and individuals with comorbidities, and a separate Town Hall meeting will be held by the DOH for these sectors.

Vergeire clarified that "boosting is voluntary, as long as you have already gotten your first and second dose, you are already fully vaccinated," and thus are protected from severe and critical disease from COVID-19.

Video courtesy of the DOH