The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 said it is planning to conduct a three-day vaccination drive this month in a bid to ramp up the country’s COVID-19 jab rollout.
NTF special adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa said the government is aiming to inoculate five million Filipinos daily during the National Vaccination Day period.
All available healthcare workers, pediatricians, dentists, and even student doctors and nurses will participate in the drive, which setup will be similar to elections wherein schools will be used as sites.
“‘Yung mga logistics at resources ng government, ibubuhos doon sa tatlong araw na ‘yun para mas marami tayong mabakunahan,” Herbosa said.
“‘Yung private sector, pwedeng magsundo ng libreng shuttle sa mga mamamayan na hindi makapunta sa vaccination site para libre na sila sa pamasahe, libre na rin ang bakuna nila,” he added.
This was after President Rodrigo Duterte expressed dissatisfaction in his recent public address over the slow vaccination rollout.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said the event is “very welcome,” and that it will issue guidelines to local government units to ensure more registered recipients.
As of Nov. 2, the country has already received almost 109 million vaccine doses, over 40 million of which remain unused.
Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, who chairs the National Vaccination Operation Center (NVOC), said the unused vaccines are either in warehouses, in transit to remote islands, or are pending administration in local health offices.
The rollout was also affected by the rise in COVID-19 cases affecting a number of health workers.
“Noong nagkaroon ng surge sa ibang areas, na-compromise ‘yung ibang magbabakuna, so nag-stop sila ng bakuna,” she said, adding that augmentation measures are underway.
The NTF has sought assistance from the military and the police for the distribution of vaccines to far-flung areas.
In line with this, the government will also deploy six million doses of single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to the Bangsamoro region to address the low jab rate there. – Report from Mark Fetalco/AG-rir
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