PASIG CITY – National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 Chief Implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. remains optimistic the Philippines will have a better Christmas this year, as the country ramps up its vaccination program amid the threat of the highly transmissible Delta variant.
“Our goal of having a better Christmas is still attainable. Maraming areas na mabibilis magbakuna and with the continuous deliveries of our vaccine supplies, kayang-kaya natin ma-achieve yung minimithi natin sa NCR (National Capital Region) and other areas na magkaroon ng better Christmas sa December,” Galvez shared during an interview on Friday.
He said that many LGUs, particularly those in the NCR, have been scaling up their vaccine rollout with some cities expected to achieve herd immunity or the complete vaccination of 70% of their population as early as September.
“Nagpupursige ang karamihan sa Metro Manila mayors na mapabilis ang kanilang vaccination. Kaya kailangan din na pabilisin namin ang vaccine deliveries,” Galvez added.
According to the vaccine czar, the government is maximizing the current Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) status of NCR to “escalate the tempo” of vaccination and administer at least 250,000 jabs daily.
He said the NCR will likely reach this target in the succeeding days, as the region was able to administer more than 220,000 doses in a single day.
Metro Manila mayors initially requested for 4 million vaccine doses this month from the national government to increase their vaccination output while under ECQ.
Galvez said the NTF has so far deployed 3.5 million doses this August to the NCR, as it plans to increase its allocation to up to six million doses this month to fully vaccinate 50% of the region’s residents before the end of August.
More than 9.6 million of NCR’s residents are eligible for vaccination. Currently, 41% of them are fully vaccinated, while 62% have received their first dose.
“The 50% of NCR’s population is a very significant threshold dahil kapag nabakuhan natin sila, may tendency na mag-plateau o bumaba ‘yung mga kaso,” Galvez explained.
Renegotiation on vaccine deliveries
Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country, he said the vaccine negotiating team began to renegotiate with manufacturers to fast track their delivery schedules as well as increase the volume of their shipments to meet the country’s monthly requirement of 25 million doses.
Galvez said that from the initial 19 million doses that are scheduled for delivery monthly, the NTF was able to raise this to more than 22 million doses.
Additional vaccine shipments are expected to be confirmed in the coming days, he added.
Galvez said that as of August 13, more than 8.2 million doses have been delivered to the country from various manufacturers and sources for this month.
These vaccine supplies include those donated through the COVAX facility, US Government and from other partner countries, as well as vaccines procured by the government, private sector, and LGUs.
Galvez said that in the succeeding months, the vaccine negotiating team will be working on further increasing the nation’s monthly vaccine supply deliveries to 25 to 30 million doses.
“We were able to administer 3.5 million doses per week and this already surpassed our expectation of just three million doses in a week,” he said.
“Kaya, kapag dumating na ‘yung ibang bakuna and we are able to receive 25 to 30 million doses, we are confident that we can reach 750,000 to even one million jabs per day,” Galvez added.
Vaccine hopping is illegal and immoral
Meanwhile, the chief implementer said the NTF will go after “vaccine hoppers” or those who register for vaccination in different cities to get more than two vaccine doses.
“Vaccine hopping is illegal and vaccine hoppers are immoral. Lahat ng bakuna ay itinuturing nating ginto at hindi ito basta-bastang sinasayang dahil ang gusto natin ay lahat ng Pilipino ay mabakunahan,” Galvez stressed.
“Napakahirap na ‘yung mga kababayan nating nasa far-flung areas at mga nasa GIDAs (geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas) ay hindi pa nagkakakroon ng first dose tapos sila [vaccine hoppers] may third dose or boosters na. Unahin muna natin ‘yung mga areas at mga tao na wala pang first dose,” he pointed out.
Galvez said that an investigation on vaccine hopping incidents is now being conducted.
He also warned that mega vaccination sites such as the recently opened facilities at Nayong Pilipino, which can accommodate individuals from any city or province, cannot be used by vaccine hoppers. (NTF)-bny
