The rollout of the second COVID-19 booster shot for the immunocompromised individuals will begin on Monday, April 25, a health official said Friday.

In an interview, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, who also heads the National Vaccination Operation Center (NVOC), said the rollout will be done nationwide in order to resolve some issues, including the identification of that immunocompromised individuals.

“We are going to start it on Monday and we’re going to do it nationwide. No more NCR Phase 1. We would like to roll it out nationwide, immediately on Monday, after we have discussed the guidelines with our implementers,” Cabotaje said.

Cabotaje added that using a different brand of COVID-19 vaccine as a second booster will be more effective since it "tries to give additional protection outside of the regular or the homologous primary booster."

According to the Department of Health (DOH), the second booster shot will be given at least four months after the administration of the first booster.

The government is also aiming to administer 15 million second dose of booster shot to the vulnerable sector which includes the health workers, senior citizens, and immunocompromised individuals.

However, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the second booster shot is only for only immunocompromised individuals and does not yet cover health workers and senior citizens.

"Ito’y nililimitahan muna natin para doon sa mga indibidwal na immunocompromised. Sa ngayon, ang aking inaprubahan, batay sa recommendation ng Health Technical Advisory Council, ay ‘yung 2nd booster dose para lang mga immunocompromised na mga pasyente," Duque said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(This is only limited to immunocompromised individuals. For now, I have approved, based on the HTAC recommendation, the administration of the 2nd booster dose for the immunocompromised only.)