AMID low numbers of booster shots being administered by government, the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday stood firm on its target to jab 23 million individuals in the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.
In a press conference, DOH officer-in-charge Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the target for the COVID-19 booster jabs, which is expected to be achieved by October 8, will not be lowered.
“We do not want to adjust our targets. We’d like to accomplish this as much as possible because this is what the population needs so get that wall of immunity,” she said.
The number of booster shots administered from July 26, when government launched the “PinasLakas” COVID-19) booster shot campaign, to August 7, has reached 441,995.
Adding the 750,407 booster shots administered from July 6 to 25, Vergeire said the campaign has accomplished 1,192,402 booster shots administered.
“This is about five percent of our targeted eligible population of 23.8 million,” she said.
Instead of adjusting that target, Vergeire said they would instead ramp up vaccination efforts nationwide.
“This is why we are doing the very best we can so that we can be able to still ramp up the coverage for the first boosters. We will have more intensive strategies so that we can meet the target,” she said.
“If, by October 8, we weren’t able to reach the target, that would give us more initiatives or more push to increase the booster shot coverage,” she also said.
Last month, the DOH said the Marcos administration has set a target of 23 million booster dose being jabbed during its first 100 days.
JANSSEN CPR
As the DOH seeks out recipients of booster shots, the DOH said one COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer has applied for a certificate of product registration (CPR).
Vergeire said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing the application of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen.
Earlier, the DOH directed the FDA to coordinate with COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to know which are looking to apply for CPRs.
A CPR is needed for a COVID-19 vaccine to be used in the country after the state of calamity due to the pandemic is lifted.
On expired vaccines, Vergeire said the COVAX Facility has agreed to replace all expired COVID-19 vaccines in the country, including those belonging to the private sector.
“We’ve already gotten the commitment of COVAX that they will be replacing all of these expired doses, even from the private sector and the local governments,” she said.
COVAX is a worldwide initiative aimed at ensuring equitable access to vaccines.
Vergeire said the replacement doses will be made available to the Philippines as soon as they are already needed.
“We are negotiating that these replacement doses be sent at the time when our current supplies in our warehouses are dwindling,” said Vergeire.
Last month, the private sector rued the loss of P5.1 billion worth due to the expiration of 4.25 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
The DOH negotiated with the COVAX Facility for the replacement of the expired doses.
