The OCTA Research Group expressed optimism that the country will attain population protection before the year ends.
According to OCTA research fellow Dr. Guido David, achieving population protection is possible with a continuous strengthened vaccine rollout.
“If we continue ‘yung phase natin, we’re averaging 195,000 jabs per day since May, we’ll achieve a sufficient level of protection before the end of the year,” he said in the June 24 Laging Handa briefing.
“Pero sana siempre, we hope na ma-accelerate pa natin ito, ‘yung jabs natin per day, para mas mataas ang level of protection na makukuha natin by the end of the year,” he added.
The government announced Thursday that it has added 10 areas as priorities for the ongoing rollout. These are Bacolod, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Tuguegarao, Cagayan De Oro, General Santos, Baguio, Naga, Zamboanga, and Legaspi.
“Ang naging basehan ay ang tumataas nilang mga kaso o surging cases, ang kanilang pagiging highly urbanized at dense environment, at kanilang kontribusyon sa regional or national economy,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in his Thursday briefing.
Meanwhile, OCTA said it has observed a decrease in cases in some Visayas and Mindanao areas, such as Iloilo, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, and Dumaguete.
“Ang bakuna po, importante ‘yan in preventing a surge. But really in dealing with it, hindi ‘yan ang pangunahing sandata,” OCTA fellow Prof. Ranjit Rye said.
Pediatric vaccination
The Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP) said the elderly population and those vulnerable to COVID-19 threat must be prioritized amid recent developments on the vaccination of children.
PIDSP President Dr. Mary Ann Bunyi, who is also a member of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group for COVID-19 Vaccine, said studies are ongoing for available children’s vaccines.
“‘Yung Sinovac, mayroong pag-aaral sa China at approved na itong gamitin sa mga batang edad 3 hanggang 17. Pero naghihintay pa tayo ng approval ng FDA [Food and Drug Administration] na pwedeng magamit na ng mga bata dito sa Pilipinas,” Bunyi said.
“Dapat matapat tayo sa magulang. Ibigay natin ‘yung tamang impormasyon tungkol sa bakuna, ano ‘yung pwedeng maging side effects, at kung ano ‘yung pwedeng maibigay na benepisyo ng bakuna sa kanilang mga anak,” she added. – Report from Kenneth Paciente/AG-jlo
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