By Alec Go
The government is set to conduct special vaccination days in select areas with lower COVID-19 vaccination rates, an official of the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) said.
In the Laging Handa briefing on Saturday (March 19), NVOC co-lead Dr. Kezia Lorraine Rosario said the special vaccination days may be rolled out in the Cebu Province, Lanao del Sur, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and certain provinces in Region 12.
“While nagso-slowdown na ang vaccination output or throughput everyday, hindi na siya kagaya noong November-December, ang gagawin ng gobyerno ay talagang titingnan siya area per area,” she said.
“We are moving more granularly to each local government unit, understanding the intricacies per area. Hindi na siya iyong kagaya before na we can have a nationwide mandate at we have similar implementation,” she added.
The localized vaccination drive will “strive to reach” second dose requirements to meet the country’s vaccination targets. All regions have sufficient COVID-19 vaccine supplies to target their target populations.
The recently conducted fourth National Vaccination Days or Bayanihan, Bakunahan had around 1.8 million administered doses, including the 255,000 doses given to 12 to 17 years old individuals.
With only a nearly 100,000 turnout among senior citizens, the NVOC said there should be “more conversations and social preparations.”
Meanwhile, Rosario said they have already anticipated the “possibility of fewer” vaccination output of local government units during the election and the conduct of campaign activities, prompting the government to seek other means to vaccinate.
“Ito po iyong pinagpaplanuhan natin that we can also look at the pinagtatrabaho natin sa ecozones like PEZA [Philippine Economic Zone Authority], working with DOLE [Department of Labor and Employment], tapping more service points,” she said,
The government will also tap private physicians and their clinics and primary care clinics of local governments.
“Ang magiging trabaho na lang ng local governments natin ay magiging oversight, fewer work for them – and the vaccination program will not be totally dependent sa local government units,” she said. – bny
Watch the interview here:
