By Pearl Gumapos
The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday (Dec. 2) said there were isolated reports of vaccine preference during the country’s three-day inoculation drive.
“There were isolated reports. We need to convince them, but we cannot also force them to get the available vaccine,” DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said during the Laging Handa public briefing.
“We would like to relay to everyone na kung anong bakuna diyan ay this will offer the same protection like any other vaccine,” she said.
Meanwhile, on reported wasted and expiring vaccines and their mishandling, Cabotaje said that there was no mishandling that occurred during the three days, and that the agency will make sure to address proper use of the soon-to-expire vaccines.
“In terms of the mishandling, wala naman na mishandle. Maybe it’s just hindi nila pinursige na ibakuna ito. We are still finalizing the numbers and we are evaluating and we will give a report to the public kung ilang iyong dose na nasira,” Cabotaje said.
She says vaccines that will expire soon will be distributed to fast-consuming areas as first doses.
“We will see what we can do with the remaining vaccines that were supposed to expire last Nov. 30. Mostly AstraZeneca iyan,” she said.
“We need to have more push for using all of these vaccines. Although, kung ikukumpara sa total number na naibigay sa atin, it’s less than zero point something percent lang. It’s not even 1%, but wastage is still wastage,” she added. -rir
