The efforts of the national government to combat COVID19 through its COVID19 Vaccination Program have been marred with “issues” involving many Local Chief Executives all over the country, whom, according to the reports, should not be prioritized in the initial COVID19 vaccination roll-out.
Our Municipality, unfortunately, also fell within the same predicament. However, before we jump into conclusions and start swinging and throwing wild allegations, allow us to impart the following surrounding critical facts:
a. LGU-Barugo was allotted 100 doses of COVID19 Astra Zeneca vaccines (65 for LGU and 35 for private facility) with additional 20 doses given to LGU on March 23, 2021.
b. While LGU-Barugo has been preparing for the COVID19 Vaccination Program, for most part the venue and the health personnel to conduct the same, the NOTICE that LGU-Barugo was allotted 100 doses of COVID19 Astra Zeneca vaccines was only relayed night of March 20, 2021. Date of COVID19 vaccination was scheduled March 22 – 23, 2021.
c. The Astra Zeneca COVID19 vaccine vial, per information of our health personnel, once opened should be inoculated within the prescribed hour to maintain its efficacy.
d. Priority list was made by the Municipal Health Office giving importance to our frontline health care workers and those assigned at the Municipal LIGTAS COVID Center.
e. On March 21, 2021, the Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force CV SHIELD convened to discuss the sudden COVID19 vaccination roll-out. A Quick Substitution List (QSL) was drafted and approved by MIATF through Resolution No. 11, series of 2021. The QSL was drafted on the following basis:
1. Substitute must be included in Phase 1 of DOH guidelines
2. Availability and willingness of the substitute
3. Time to orient and gather
f. Persons listed in the QSL will only be inoculated, if and only if, the identified priority beneficiary backed-out or failed to pass the screening conducted by the Physicians.
g. Mayor Ma. Rosario Cumpio-Avestruz was listed last in the QSL. She was inoculated on the second day, March 23, 2021, with the additional 20 doses allotted to LGU-Barugo after all the Barangay Health Workers listed in the QSL were called but did not push through or were deferred in the screening. As a matter of fact, she was being convinced by the MHO to be inoculated on the first day to build confidence among COVID19 vaccine beneficiaries but she refused considering the order in the QSL.
h. On March 23, 2021, with the additional 20 doses and after knowing that all those identified beneficiaries were inoculated and those listed in the QSL were already utilized, and that doses in the vaccine vials are still available, Mayor Avestruz finally decided to be inoculated taking into consideration that the unused doses will be wasted.
After presenting the facts, the question would be “Was Mayor Avestruz prioritized?” The answer is NO. The fact that she was in the Quick Substitution List answers CLEARLY the question. She was a SUBSTITUTE not a PRIORITY. A substitute that will come in when the priority backs out or fails to pass the screening because, as premised, the vaccine is required to be inoculated only within the prescribed hours upon opening. In fact, she was last in the QSL.
She was included in Phase 1 tagged as A4 but the determining factors used by the MIATF in approving the QSL, the availability and willingness and time to orient and gather, have prompted members of the MIATF to be included in the QSL.
As we go through and ponder in this situation, let us be diligent in gathering facts and be responsible in sharing our opinions.
Today, like in any other day that we are confronted with challenges, we need to be informed and we need to stand united, for our Municipality and for our people.
