by Xyzma Kryshel Bober
The Department of Health (DOH) urged the public to complete their second dose of COVID-19 vaccines after reports circulated about individuals missing their appointments, June 3.
According to the National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center, there are roughly 113,000 individuals who did not show up for their second dose as scheduled.
DOH Spokesperson Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire said, “the most common reasons for such deferrals include: getting sick, getting exposed to someone positive for COVID-19, or undergoing quarantine.”
Vergeire emphasized the importance of completing both doses of COVID-19 vaccines, saying “...the first dose is really not enough. You need to get your second dose because it provides you with maximum protection against the virus.”
DOH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III advised individuals who missed their second dose to coordinate with their Local Government Units (LGUs) for the rescheduling of their second dose vaccination.
DOH also reiterated in a public advisory on May 6 that both CoronaVac (Sinovac) and Oxford-AstraZeneca are given in two doses, and that not completing the two-dose requirement will weaken the protection these vaccines offer.
Subsequently, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) if one receives a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, they will also need two shots to get the most protection.
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