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Herbosa: Bivalent vaccine effective vs. Omicron FE.1
Bivalent COVID-19 vaccines offer significant protection against the new FE.1 Omicron subvariant, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Rontgene Solante.
Solante stated that while the protection isn't absolute, bivalent vaccines provide substantial defense against XBB subvariants, including FE.1.
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa affirmed the effectiveness of bivalent vaccines against FE.1, citing cross-immunity due to shared Omicron antigens.
The Philippines identified its first case of the FE.1 subvariant, a lineage of Omicron XBB, which has been detected in 35 countries.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control added FE.1 to its list of variants under monitoring due to increasing global prevalence.
Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that the FE.1 subvariant is more contagious, causes more severe illness, or can evade existing vaccine immunity.
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President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and the Department of Health (DOH) launched the national rollout of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines on June 22, urging Filipinos, especially the elderly and vulnerable, to get vaccinated.
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The Philippines has recorded its first case of the Omicron subvariant FE.1, a sublineage of XBB, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
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The Department of Health (DOH) will launch the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines on June 21, prioritizing healthcare workers and senior citizens who received their second booster shot within the last four to six months.
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An infectious diseases specialist, Dr. Rontgene Solante, has warned that the newly detected FE.1 omicron subvariant may pose a severe risk to vulnerable populations.
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the product registration certificate for Pfizer's bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, potentially paving the way for its commercial availability in the Philippines.
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