THE Department of Health (DoH) has said it will rely primarily on science and evidence when it decides on the administration of a third dose or booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine to health care workers and persons with low immunity.

According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, they also take into consideration an earlier position of the World Health Organization (WHO) to not give booster doses yet and instead prioritize equitable access to vaccines especially by vulnerable sectors.

“Sa ngayon, wala pa tayong nakakalap na kumpletong ebidensya o siyensya (Right now, we do not yet see any complete evidence or science) that could guarantee that the booster doses will give enough protection to individuals, “Vergeire said during her regular media briefing on Friday.

Her reply came after two lawmakers urged the DoH to not follow the WHO’s recommendation on giving booster doses and instead act “with a sense of urgency” to give the booster doses to health care workers.

Iloilo Rep. Janette Loreto Garin, a former Health secretary, said during a recent media briefing that the country’s responsibility is not with the WHO, adding that the international health agencies have “their own interests.”

“We really have to take that bold step because if we keep on delaying and delaying and delaying the decision, time will come that decision will not already be of use to our country,” Garin added.

Sen. Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay, on the other hand, said the country may experience a “’collapse of the health care system” as more health care workers are getting infected despite being fully vaccinated.

But Vergeire countered that the DoH is always aligned with pronouncements of the WHO, citing its reputation as the United Nations’ attached agency for health that formulates most of the health policies that are used across its member-states.

“Base po sa WHO, ang kanilang pinagmumulan ay ‘yung equity component, dahil kung nagbigay tayo ng booster doses, kailangan masiguro natin na nabigyan natin yung mas nakakarami at ‘yung mga high-risk na sectors natin (According to the WHO, their basis remains equity, where if we would give booster doses, we should ensure that we have already given doses to our most highrisk sectors),” she said.

These factors, Vergeire noted, are the reasons the DoH’s all-experts group on Covid-19 is still continuing its deliberations on the administration of booster doses to see their overall effect.

Meanwhile, she said the antiparasitic drug ivermectin remains unproven as a prophylaxis and early treatment for Covid-19 after an international group urged the government to reconsider the drug.

The British Ivermectin Recommendation Development Group has urged Health Secretary Francisco Duque 3rd to consider the drug based on “studies” that prove its efficacy against Covid-19.

But also citing studies made by the Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Vergeire said ivermectin remains ineffective as an early-treatment drug to combat the virus.

“It is not proven to [neither] significantly reduce mortality nor offer clinical outcomes,” she added.