Health Secretary Francisco Duque III hopes that some local governments will have no problem with their plan to borrow the COVID-19 vaccines that have already been distributed to various facilities.
Earlier, Sec. Duque distributed face masks and face shields in Parañaque and Makati City in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s request to give face masks to residents who cannot afford to buy them. During the distribution of face masks and face shields in Parañaque, Sec. Duque said that they will talk to the provinces that have already received the vaccine but whose number of COVID-19 cases is not too high.
“Kakausapin ko pa sila. Papakiusap ko yung mga lugar na mababa ang up-take ng vaccines. Baka pwedeng ipahiram muna dahil iyan naman ay babalik. Iyon nga lang kasi dito emergency tayo sa NCR sa Calabarzon, sa Region 3 and CAR and Region 7. Iyon lang ang sasabihin ko,” Sec. Duque disclosed.
The Department of Health (DOH) will also talk to health facilities where only few medical frontliners have been vaccinated.
“I will try my best ‘yung mga mabababa yung uptake lang kasi sayang baka ‘ka ko ma-expire sayang naman lalo na ‘yung kanilang Astrazeneca by May 31 expired na siya.”
Among the areas Sec. Duque mentioned to borrow vaccines from is Region 5.
But the League of Provinces of the Philippines is not in favor of the DOH’s plan.
Marinduque Governor Presbitero Velasco Jr. says that the vaccines given to the provinces were not that much in the first place so it would be difficult for them if they will be recalled.
Meanwhile, Sec. Duque assured that the efficacy of the vaccine will not be compromised if the plan in recalling vaccines from some provinces will push through. — Ryan Lesigues
