SEVEN pharmacies in Metro Manila will start giving booster shots to vaccinated people this week as the government ramps up its inoculation program against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by tapping pharmacies and private clinics to cover more individuals, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said on Monday night.
Galvez, during the first part of the Talk to the People address of President Duterte, said the seven pharmacies are Healthway Manila Clinic, Mercury Drug Malate (Pres. Quirino Ave.), South Star SSD Marikina, Watsons – SM Supercenter Pasig, Generika Drugstore Signal 1 Taguig, The Generics Pharmacy – Parañaque, and Qualimed Clinic – McKinley Road Makati City.
Galvez said that after a one-week pilot run, the program will be launched in 10 other key cities outside of the National Capital Region, and in areas with more than 70 percent vaccination coverage.
Presidential Adviser on COVID Response Vince Dizon said the pilot run “will start with seven pharmacies on Thursday and Friday in Metro Manila.”.
“We will decentralize our vaccination sites. We will have smaller but widely spread vaccination sites through our pharmacies,” Dizon said.
Galvez said more than 4.7 million fully vaccinated individuals have already received their booster as of January 16.
He said this is a very low number considering that booster shots were launched when adolescents started getting their primary vaccines and more so because more than 54 million Filipinos are already fully vaccinated.
He said at least 6.879 million adolescents or those aged between 12 and 17 are now fully vaccinated while 8.49 million have received their first jabs.
The DOH has said that fully vaccinated individuals may avail of the booster shots three months after they received their second jab or two months after they received the single-shot Janssen vaccine.
Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said at least 3,500 doses, or 500 per each of the seven pharmacies, will be deployed for a week-long pilot run of the “Resbakuna sa Botika” drive.
The allocation will increase depending on the turnout of people.
Nograles said people may need to pre-register with their local government units (LGUs) to avail of the booster shots that will be administered in the pharmacies to avoid overcrowding and manage the flow of people.
Galvez said the government will also use the mega vaccination sites like the one in Nayong Pilipino, and some of the shopping malls to administer more booster shots while the administering of primary series – or the two-doses or single-dose Janssen — program, will be the focus of the barangay-to-barangay and home-to-home visit by local government officials.
He said the government is determined to vaccinate the remaining unvaccinated individuals including some three million senior citizens.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said the city government will open starting today the nearly 5-hectare Manila Zoo as COVID-19 vaccination site for senior citizens and 12 to17 year-olds.
Moreno said the site will be able to accommodate around 1, 000 every day to prevent overcrowding.
He said registration must be made at www.manilazoo.ph to enter the zoo and at www.manilacovid19vaccine.ph to get their vaccination schedule.
“No walk-in will be allowed,” he added.
VACCINATION DRIVE ON TRACK
Galvez said the government remains on track in its target of fully vaccinating 77 million Filipinos by the end of the first quarter and 90 million by the end of the second quarter of this year.
Data from the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard, as of January 17, showed that 119.7 million doses of vaccines have been administered nationwide including 5.131 million doses of booster shots. More than 55.58 million are fully vaccinated and 59 million received their first shots.
Galvez reiterated that the country has enough supply of vaccines for the adults and adolescents since the Philippines has already received a total of 213.68 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine since February 2021.
He said the first batch of vaccines for the younger minors, or those aged between five and 11 years old, are to be delivered on January 31 with 780,000 doses of Pfizer, and on February 7 with 1.632 million doses.
He said a total of 7.5 million doses of children formulation vaccine are to be delivered in the first quarter of the year and another 7.5 million the second quarter.
The government aims to fully vaccinate 15.56 million five to 11-year-olds, and eventually provide them with booster within the term of the President.
The government has also announced its plans to begin the vaccination of infants and toddlers aged 0 to 4 starting in April.
Food and Drug Administration officer-in-charge Dr. Oscar Gutierrez, in his report to the President, said three more COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers have applied for an amendment of their existing emergency use authorization to include toddlers and minors.
Gutierrez said these are Covaxin (for two to 18 years-old), Sinovac for three to 17 years old and 12 to 17 years old), and Sinopharm (for three to 17 years old).
The FDA has so far approved the EUA of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for adolescents, and for Pfizer’s vaccines for five to 11 years old.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said 18 areas under Alert Level 3 have been flagged by the DOH after showing low vaccination rates, raising the risk of seeing severe and critical COVID-19 cases.
“These provinces/cities have the trends that mimic the NCR spike. Those with lower vaccination rate need to prepare their hospital capacity,” said Vergeire.
Having the lowest vaccine coverage are Lanao Del Sur (9.78%), Negros Oriental (24.10%), Cebu (28.65%), Zamboanga Del Sur (33.25%), Northern Samar (33.51%), Quezon (33.76%), Camarines Norte (34.17%), Bohol (35.18%), and Ifugao (35.21%).
Completing the list are Western Samar (35.72%), Davao Del Sur (35.97%), Cotabato City (36.83%), Negros Occidental (37.04%), Antique (37.82%), Nueva Vizcaya (38.43%), Camarines Sur (38.90%), Agusan Del Sur (39.17%), and Occidental Mindoro (39.80%).
Similarly, the health official noted that 17 areas under Alert Level 2 also need to step up their administration of COVID-19 jabs.
She said the increase of vaccination rates must be done immediately to prevent them from being shifted to a higher alert level.
“Now is the time to accelerate vaccination. It takes two weeks for vaccines to fully work,” said Vergeire.
Flagged for having under 20 percent vaccine coverage are Sulu, Maguindanao, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi.
Also tagged by the DOH for having less than 50 percent jab coverage are Davao Occidental, Sarangani, Lanao Del Norte, Masbate, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga Del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Zamboanga Sibugay, Palawan, Cotabato, Davao De Oro, Davao Oriental, and Surigao Del Norte.
The health official urged all eligible individuals to get vaccinated as soon as possible, regardless of the vaccine brand available in their respective areas.
“While we rely and reiterate the latest data regarding specific vaccines, we maintain that all vaccines, regardless of brand, are safe, effective, and give the protection they promise,” said Vergeire.
Members of the Vaccine Experts Panel (VEP) are not too keen on proposals to introduce another COVID-19 booster dose in the country despite the recent surge in cases, including newer variants.
In an online media forum organized by the DOH, physicians Rontgene Solante and Mario Jiz said they do not see the urgency in giving a second booster jabs.
“It should not be every time cases surge, we would push for another booster shot. It’s not that. Let us not think of the 4th or 5th dose yet,” said Solante. — With Gerard Naval and Ashzel Hachero
