Many barangays still below 70% vax coverage: WHO

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THE World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday said many barangays nationwide have yet to meet the target of 70 percent vaccination coverage against COVID-19.

WHO representative to the Philippines Dr Rajendra Yadav, in a briefing, said government, which launched the national vaccination program in March last year, has done a “tremendous, commendable” job in ensuring there is ample enough supply of COVID-19 vaccines in the country.

“It is now up to the local government units and local chief executives to ensure that the vaccines reach the people who are still not vaccinated,” he said.

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About 244 million vaccines have been delivered to the country, and around 144 million doses have been administered nationwide.

Yadav said it is important for all barangays to meet, or even surpass, the herd immunity target of 70 percent jab rate, “to create adequate herd immunity,”

“We have to aim that all barangays are at least with 70 percent vaccination coverage, and to go and reach even beyond 80, 90, 100 percent,” he added Yadav strongly urged all local government units to reach out to the unvaccinated individuals in their respective communities.

He said this is especially for those with a high number of unvaccinated members of the highly vulnerable sectors.

“Barangays with low coverage need to step up in reaching the unreached through the last-mile approach, which basically means using house-to-house vaccination and close to home vaccinations,” he said.

“So rather than waiting for them in vaccination sites, we have to reach out to them and get vaccinated. That’s the best thing we can do,” he added.

As of April 17, there are about 66.8 million fully-vaccinated individuals.

Around 12.6 million of 50.1 million eligible individuals that have been given booster shots.

This means that there are some 37.6 million individuals who have yet to be given booster shots, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

Yadav, asked about a redefining the term full vaccination, said WHO prefers to use “up-to-date with recommended schedules.”

“Fully vaccinated is a big term because definitely it may change depending on evolving evidence. It’s better to use up-to-date with the recommended schedules,” he said.

All COVID-19 vaccines, except that made by Johnson & Johnson, are given in two doses. A third dose is being given as booster.

The government is preparing for the administration of a second booster for senior citizens, immunocompromised individuals, and frontline healthcare workers this month.

The Food and Drug Administration last week approved an amendment to the emergency use authorization (EUA) of COVID-19 vaccines, which will allow the second booster dose to be given at least four months after the administration of the first booster.

According to the National Vaccination Operations Center, around 5.2 million individuals belonging to the A1 sector (healthcare workers), A2 (senior citizens), and A3 (people with comorbidities) sectors that have received their third dose. Of the number, about 1.8 million are qualified to get the second booster considering the four-month interval.

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