The Department of Health (DOH) Region 11 confirmed two individuals were injected with different COVID-19 vaccine brands in their first and second doses in the Davao region.
In a report by Cyril Chaves of GMA Regional TV Cagayan de Oro, it was said that the DOH Davao region has not yet provided details about the area where the incident took place and what brand of vaccines were used.
An investigation into the incident is currently underway.
“Ang rason ng staff na-mislook niya. So ang ginawa natin ngayon, kailangan sa vaccination site, magsa-submit talaga sila ng incident report. Hindi natin ito pinapayagan, pero dahil nangyari na, kaya kailangan mag-submit sila ng incident report,” said DOH-11 Director Dr. Anabelle Yumang.
Meanwhile, in the Bicol region, DOH Region 5 approved the injection of another brand of COVID-19 vaccine to individuals who experienced a severe allergic reaction in the first dose.
However, the vaccinator must first test and consult a doctor about the allergy before switching to the second dose.
The DOH will recommend a different vaccine brand once the cause of the allergy is confirmed and determined.
2 Davao residents injected with different COVID vaccine brands for 2nd dose
“Ina-allow lang po as per guidelines na magbakuna ng magkaiba is, for example, sa unang turok sa unang type of vaccine, nag-develop ng severe allergic reaction doon sa bakunang unang itinurok. Then ang second dose niya po ay puwedeng ibang klase ng bakuna… Ito pong tulad ng na-report sa NCR ‘yung pag-mix and match, at booster doses, hindi pa po ‘yan nire-recommend ng DOH kasi kulang pa po ‘yung ebidensiya,” said Dr. Rita Mae Ang-Bon of DOH Bicol.
In May, the Department of Health and the Department of Science and Technology said they will study the possibility of mixing COVID-19 vaccine brands and booster shots for fully vaccinated individuals.
According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, DOH, DOST, and Vaccine Expert Panel (VEP) have had “several meetings” to discuss the study.
“The proponent of this trial already presented to us their protocol at dito po ay pag-aaralan ito pong mix-and-match, kung saan puwedeng magpabakuna ng another brand aside from the initial brand that you were given,” she said in a briefing.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.