Frequently Asked Questions

Why do we need to get vaccinated for COVID-19?

Vaccination is an important way to protect yourself from getting severe COVID-19.

How do vaccines prevent disease?

Vaccines imitate the virus or bacteria that causes sickness and cause the body to produce antibodies in response. Once a person is infected with the disease-causing virus or bacteria, these antibodies will defend them.

Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe and effective?

COVID-19 vaccines that are granted with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are considered safe and effective based on the available evidence to date

What are the possible side effects of vaccination?

The possible side effects of a vaccine include pain, redness, itchiness or swelling at the injection site (which may last a few hours); fever; feeling of weakness or fatigue; headache; dizziness; diarrhea; or nausea. Consult the nearest healthcare professional if you experience any of these.

Can I purchase the vaccine from private clinics or pharmacies?

COVID-19 vaccinations are not available from private clinics or pharmacies. Only the government has the legal authority to buy and administer vaccines at this time. Any COVID-19 vaccine should not be sold to the general public until the Philippine FDA issues a full market authorisation.

Do I need a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine

A booster dose is an additional dose of vaccine given to a vaccinated population after they have completed their primary vaccination series (currently one, two, or three doses of COVID-19 vaccine depending on the vaccine and the population group) when the population's immunity and clinical protection has fallen below a level deemed adequate.

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95%

PFIZER & BioNTech
NOV 18, 2020

94%

MODERNA
NOV 30, 2020

92%

SPUTNIK V
FEB 02, 2021

89%

NOVA VAX
JAN 28, 2021

70%

nCOV-2019 / ASTRAZENECA
NOV 23, 2020

66%

JOHNSON & JOHNSON
JAN 29, 2021

50%

CORONAVAC / SINOVAC
JAN 12, 2021

Which COVID-19 vaccine should I get?

All vaccinations on the WHO's Emergency Use List are highly effective in reducing COVID-19-related serious illness, hospitalization, and death. To lower your risk, you should accept the vaccination that is supplied first and get vaccinated as soon as possible. Do not put off getting vaccinated unless your health care professional advises you to, as this could put you at risk for COVID-19. It's possible that getting vaccinated will save your life. The most effective COVID-19 vaccine is the one that is accessible to you as soon as possible.

How quickly could COVID-19 vaccinations put an end to the spread?

COVID-19 vaccines are a critical instrument in the fight against the pandemic, but they won't be enough. Individual protective behaviors such as remaining at least 1 meter away from other people, wearing a well fitted mask over your nose and mouth, avoiding poorly ventilated areas and settings, staying home if sick, covering coughs and sneezes, and washing your hands frequently remain vital in breaking the chain of transmission.

Several factors will influence how effective COVID-19 vaccines are in combating the pandemic. These factors include the vaccines' efficacy, the speed with which they are approved, manufactured, and given, the potential for new varieties, and the number of people who receive vaccinations.

PHILIPPINES

DOSES GIVEN: 125 MILLION
FULLY VACCINATED: 58.1 MILLION
PERCENTAGE OF THE POPULATION FULLY VACCINATED : 53.1%

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INFORMATIONS ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINES:

HOW EFFECTIVE THE COVID-19 VACCINES?

*estimated effectiveness at COVID-19 prevention based on interim data from late stage clinical trials

*efficacy may differ with COVID-19 variants

How safe are COVID-19 vaccines?

ASSURING SAFETY
Before a proposed vaccine can be given to people, it must pass through numerous steps, including exploratory science, pre-clinical testing (typically on animals), clinical development (which includes three phases of human trials), regulatory review and approval, manufacturing, and quality control.

A vaccine candidate is examined in pre-clinical tests to see if it is hazardous and how it interacts with the body in order to determine a safe dose before it is tested in people.

Vaccination is one of the most effective strategies to avoid sickness. Vaccines are thought to save between two and three million lives per year.

WHO's vaccine safety program works with governments, vaccine makers, scientists, and medical specialists to continuously monitor vaccination safety.

This ensures the safety of immunizations for you and your family.

BENEFITS OF GETTING VACCINATED
It's possible that getting vaccinated will save your life. COVID-19 vaccinations offer excellent protection from major illness, hospitalization, and death. There's also some evidence that getting vaccinated reduces your chances of spreading the virus to others, so your decision to receive the vaccine protects others around you.

Continue to take care to protect yourself, your family, friends, and anybody else you may come into contact with after becoming vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccinations are quite effective, although some people will still become unwell after receiving the vaccine.

There's still a danger you could spread the illness to someone who haven't been vaccinated. When you can't keep this distance, wear a properly fitted mask over your nose and mouth, avoid poorly ventilated places and settings, wash your hands frequently, stay home if you're sick and get tested, and stay informed about how much virus is circulating in the areas where you travel, live, and work.