THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday said a special COVID-19 vaccination week will be held on September 26 to 30 in what could be the government’s final attempt to meet its target of administering 23 million booster shots during the first 100 days of the Marcos administration, or by October 8.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, DOH officer-in-charge, said the special week of vaccination is part of the Marcos administration’s “PInasLakas” campaign.
“This special week of vaccination will be done simultaneously in all regions, in all local government units. As early as now, we are already mobilizing our regional offices and our local governments to help us in this project,” Vergeire said in a press conference.
“Hopefully, this special week of vaccination will give us that push so our achievement for the first booster shots will be higher,” she added.
During the special vaccination week, the DOH hopes to jab somewhere between 5 million and 21 million individuals.
Vergeire said 2.2 million booster shots have been administered, or around 10 percent of the 23 million target.
“We will be targeting the areas wherein there remains low coverage of the COVID-19 vaccines,” she said.
“We hope to be able to increase coverage and we can attain our target by October 8,” she added.
The DOH has announced it was looking to give booster shots to 23 million people until the first 100 days of the Marcos administration. But, as of September 4, only 2,252,080 individuals have been given booster shots.
Vergeire assured the public no expired vaccine will be administered, and reiterated that all vaccine doses, particularly those already expired based on their labels, have been given extended shelf life.
“Whatever we are distributing right now in the communities are vaccines within expiry dates. This means that all of them are still safe and effective since we were able to extend their shelf life,” she said.
“There is no truth to claims that we are providing expired vaccines. What we have are certificates showing their extended shelf lives,” she added.
Last week, the Public Attorney’s Office raised doubts over the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines being provided by the DOH, particularly those already expired.
Meanwhile, Vergeire said the government believes it is not yet time to set a deadline for people to avail themselves of the free vaccines, both primary series and boosters, because the COVID-19 vaccines were purchased particularly for the entire Philippine population.
“The government invested on these COVID-19 vaccines for the benefit of the whole population. As of now, we cannot provide restrictions or limitations as to until when they can avail themselves of the free vaccines,” she said.
However, restrictions will be imposed when COVID-19 jabs become part of the National Immunization Program.
“We will come to that point that some of the sectors will not be provided with free vaccines anymore, and that only the vulnerable can. They will be protected by the government because they are the ones vulnerable to the disease while others can get it commercially,” she said.
EMERGENCY
A former medical consultant of the National Task Force against COVID-19 favors the extension of the public health emergency to ensure the country’s continued immediate response to emergencies as well as access and use of emergency vaccines.
Dr. Ted Herbosa, during the “Laging Handa” public briefing yesterday, said he agrees with the Department of Health’s assessment that we are “not yet totally out of the woods.”
“I agree with their recommendation to extend the state of emergency to be able to immediately respond and ensure continued response to COVD-19 cases,” he said in mixed Filipino and English
The declaration of a nationwide public health emergency and state of calamity due to COVID 19 is set to end on September 12.
President Marcos Jr. earlier said he is in favor of its extension but would wait for recommendations from the DOH.
The DOH last week said it submitted a recommendation to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to extend the state of calamity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Herbosa said the extension for at least three months would give the country a chance to improve the health situation.
He said another advantage of the imposition of a public health emergency is the ease of procuring vaccines.
He said the state of emergency is also one of the bases of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve and issue an emergency use authorization (EUA) for vaccines, antivirals and other drugs. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
