Malacañang assured on Monday that the Philippines is ready to begin with the actual COVID-19 vaccination as early as next week pending the exact date of the arrival of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines from the COVAX facility.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque explained that the vaccines will be brought directly to cold storage facilities once they arrive at the airport. These are expected to be delivered to hospitals in one to two days.
“Ang sabi ng COVAX facility sa kanilang liham, it will be made available, it will come to us by mid-February… Handang-handa na tayong mag-start by February 15 (COVAX said in its letter that the vaccines will be made available, it will come to us by mid-February… We are very prepared to start by February 15),” Sec. Roque disclosed.
Based on the allocation framework for the first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, the vaccines will initially be given to COVID-19 dedicated hospitals, COVID-19 referral hospitals, other DOH and LGU hospitals.
Meanwhile, the schedule for the inoculation of President Rodrigo Duterte is set to be announced. It will be his prerogative if it will be conducted publicly or privately.
“Ang presidente will enjoy priority dahil siya ay senior citizen. Siyempre, importante rin na magbakabuna siya para sa vaccine confidence. Inaasahan natin na isa siya sa pinakauna (The president will enjoy priority because he is a senior citizen. It is important that he will get the shot for vaccine confidence. We expect that he will be among the primary beneficiaries),” Sec. Roque said.
NCR ready for COVID-19 vaccination
Metro Manila local chiefs also assured in the same briefing the readiness of their city’s immunization program.
Caloocan City Mayor Oscar Malapitan aims to inoculate at least 60 percent of their citizens by the end of the year. 54 vaccination sites have already been identified. If they can come up with 1,600 vaccinators, the vaccination of adult population may be finished in seven days.
Mayor Toby Tiangco revealed that Navotas City will have 20 vaccination sites with each one approximated to vaccinate 100 individuals per day.
“Ang estimate naming mababakunahan is over 100,000 plus. Kung masusunod ang 100 per day, nasa 50 days tayo (Our estimate recipients are over 100,000. If we follow 100 per day, it will be around 50 days),” Tiangco stated.
Mayor Joy Belmonte relayed that there are “1,066,000 individuals belonging to the priority list” in Quezon City’s vaccination plan. To vaccinate around 1.6 million people for herd immunity, they are hoping to vaccinate 252,000 constituents per month which will take up to six to eight months. – Report from Mela Lesmoras, PTV News Online
