THE World Health Organization yesterday said only about 28 percent of senior citizens in the Philippines have so far received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 8.5 percent have completed two doses.
Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO representative to the Philippines, and Franklin Quijano, chairman of the National Commission of Senior Citizens, said the low vaccination rate among the elderly as shown by records of the Department of Health should prompt both national government and local government units (LGUs) to implement more measures, including offering incentives, to encourage more senior citizens to get vaccinated.
“Three-fourths of the senior citizens are still unprotected by the vaccine,” Abeyasinghe said, reiterating that senior citizens remain the most vulnerable to COVID-19, especially new variants such as Delta which is highly transmissible and more infectious.
DOH data as of June 27 showed that some 2.2 million senior citizens have received their first dose and 672,602 have completed the two doses. The government targets to vaccinate some 8.5 million senior citizens.
The WHO-led COVAX Facility is donating some 44 million doses of vaccines to the country, which can be used to inoculate senior citizens, persons with disability, health workers, and members of the indigent sector.
As of May, at about 5 million doses of vaccines from COVAX have already been delivered to the country, including the 2.556 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines and 2.469 million doses from Pfizer.
Abeyasinghe said government efforts should focus on two things: Assuring the senior citizens that the vaccines are safe and they would be safer from COVID if they are vaccinated; and providing measures that would make it easier for the elders to get the vaccine, like the setting up of special lanes or vaccine centers exclusively for the senior citizens, conducting house-to-house vaccination, or providing incentives to those who would be fully vaccinated such as more spaces or places they could visit.
He lauded efforts of some LGUs to reach the people, especially the senior citizens and those with comorbidities.
Quijano said more than 90 percent of senior citizens are actually interested in being vaccinated but some of them are still unaware as to how and where to go, especially in areas where they have to register with the LGUs.
MENTAL WELL-BEING
He welcomed LGUs and private establishments that have started to offer more incentives, and the Interagency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that allowed fully-vaccinated senior citizens to go out.
He said it is good for the mental and emotional well-being of the senior citizens to be able to go out and do their personal shopping for food, medicines and even gifts for their grandchildren, especially after being in quarantine for more than a year.
He said senior citizens also enjoy discounts that some groceries and restaurants offer to those who have fully been vaccinated.
The government has so far vaccinated at least 10 million of the 50 million to 70 million Filipinos targeted to be vaccinated this year.
One incentive enjoyed by those fully vaccinated is that, if they travel abroad, they can will have a shorter quarantine stay of seven days, instead of the usual 10 days, when they travel back to the country.
One incentive enjoyed by those fully vaccinated is a shorter quarantine period of seven days, instead of the usual 10 days, when they return to the country from abroad.
The Makati City government is giving seniors who have been fully vaccinated P1,000 worth of gift certificates.
Mayor Abigail Binay said details about the incentive will be announced through the city’s official social media accounts.
According to Makati City Health Office, the city has so far vaccinated 36,000 senior citizens, and is targeting to vaccinate 50,000 senior citizens.
Makati has 10 vaccination sites.
ON TRACK
Even at a conservative estimate of 114,000 COVID-19 jabs administered per day, the National Capital Region is on track to vaccinate more than 50 percent of its 14-million population by the end of September.
This was announced by Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos at the public briefing “Laging Handa.”
Abalos said the 114,000 is on the low side as the combined performance of 16 Metro Manila cities and one municipality has been hitting 170,000 to almost 200,000 daily.
As of June 30, Abalos said, some 3.2 million Metro Manila residents have received their first dose while about 1 million have been given the second shot.
If LGUs in Metro Manila continue to hit 114,000 each day, this would translate to 3.4 million in a month and 10.2 million in three months, Abalos said.
Added to the current number of 4.2 million, he said Metro Manilans would have received 14.5 million doses by that target date.
“Tandaan po natin ang populasyon ng Metro Manila ay 14 million, meaning itong 14.5 million doses, lampas kalahati na, with two doses na. So tamang-tama po ito, very conservative, yet the way we are doing it right now, we will have vaccinated more than the majority by the end of September (Metro Manila has a population of 14 million which means these 14.5 million doses are already more than half with most having received two doses),” he said.
Despite the rosier figures however, Abalos said Metro Manila is not yet clamoring for further lifting of remaining restrictions on business operations, public transport, and recreational activities. He said the Metro Manila mayors “defer to the wisdom of our health experts.” — With Noel Talacay and Peter Tabingo
