Gov’t to focus on vulnerable areas in COVID-19 vaccine rollout
The government should prioritize inoculating key areas with economic and social importance to fend off further COVID-19 surges and enable the economy to quickly recover, the country’s vaccine czar said on Monday.
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President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the MalacaΓ±ang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in MalacaΓ±ang Park, Manila on May 3, 2021. KING RODRIGUEZ/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
In his report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the current constriction in global vaccine supply would affect vaccine deliveries and the government’s vaccine rollout.
“Mr.
President, considering magkaroon tayo ng tinatawag na falloff or shortfall sa
ating mga supply, we are recommending na magkaroon tayo ng prioritization po,
Mr. President,” Galvez said.
“So
meaning, tingnan po natin ‘yong mga areas na mayroon pong tinatawag na economic
at saka social importance. At saka magkakaroon tayo ng malaking problema pagka
hindi natin po naagapan lalo po ang NCR (National Capital Region).”
Galvez,
who is also the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19,
recommended concentrating in hard-hit areas last year.
These
areas include NCR, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Baguio City, Cordillera
Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley and other areas.
The
prioritization also includes Cebu City, Bacolod City, Iloilo City, Western
Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and other areas in the Visayas with
high active cases.
Davao
City, Cagayan de Oro City, Zamboanga City, General Santos City, Iligan City,
Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Davao Region are the priority areas
in Mindanao.
Galvez
said the government should also recalibrate its mass vaccination program and
concentrate in immunizing 83 million of the country’s population instead of 110
million.
If
the government could achieve herd immunity in badly hit areas, Galvez said it
would give the country better chances for quick economic recovery and prevent
possible surges in traditional and very vulnerable areas.
“So
ganoon po ang gagawin po nating strategy kasi kung magkakaroon tayo ng
shortfall doon po sa constriction ng global supply, we will target more or less
mga 50 to 60 (percent) of population instead of 70 to 80 to 90 para targeted
ang ano po natin,” he told the President.
The
vaccine czar also gave an update on recent vaccine procurements and rollout,
telling the President that so far, there is a total 4,040,600 vaccine doses
delivered to the Philippines.
China’s
Sinovac will upscale its vaccine supply for the country, vowing to bring in 1.5
million doses instead of just 500,000 doses for its May 7 delivery, according
to Galvez.
The
government is also negotiating with Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute for a
monthly delivery of two million doses.
Talks
are also ongoing with the COVAX facility and the World Health Organization
(WHO) for the delivery of AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines totaling 2.3 million
doses.
Galvez
reported that the government has deployed 3.7 million doses and has inoculated
1.6 million Filipinos.
“And
nakikita po natin na papataas din po ‘yong ating mga deliveries. Starting po ng
June, magkakaroon na po tayo ng more or less 10.3 million doses dahil po
darating na rin po ang Moderna at saka po ‘yong AstraZeneca,” he said.
“So
apat na po ang magde-deliver this coming June. And ganoon din po sa third
quarter, darating na rin po ‘yong ibang mga deliveries.” PND
