Robredo urges gov’t to plan vaccine deployment

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday urged the government to start planning how to deploy the much-awaited coronavirus vaccine, which President Rodrigo Duterte himself has been trumpeting as the silver bullet that would end the pandemic.

In her third national address since the global coronavirus pandemic, Robredo laid down vaccine deployment as one of five new COVID-19 recommendations focusing on city governments and jobs creation.

“We agree that the vaccine is important—which is why it is not enough to simply wait for it. As early as now, we have to prepare for its massive deployment once it’s developed,” she said in her 16-minute address. “Administering a vaccine to millions of Filipinos is no easy task—we need to have a plan, the infrastructure, and a mechanism, that as much as possible can be downloaded to the level of Barangay Health Units.”

As health experts have pointed out, the creation of a vaccine is only the beginning of an arduous process to inoculate enough of the population to achieve herd immunity.

Positivity rate

The Vice President noted that the budget for next year allotted only P2.5 billion for the vaccine. Based on the Department of Health’s own estimates, this would be enough for only 3.8 million people or 3 percent of the country’s population.

“What about the rest of the 100 million? As early as now, we need to focus and prepare for the financial and other needs for the vaccine,” Robredo added.

The Philippines could, for example, target by the end of October to achieve a positivity rate of below 5 percent, and a virus reproduction rate below 1, Robredo said.

“Other specific goals can be set for densely populated cities where the risk of transmission is greater,” she noted.

The Vice President also urged the government to look at the best practices of local government units, and give them ample support “based on the gravity of the situation in their respective areas.”

Robredo suggested appropriating funds strategically to high-risk local governments. In communities where there is no longer community transmission, meanwhile, city governments can “start planning different ways to resume face-to-face classes in accordance with health standards.”

She also proposed ramping up financial assistance mechanisms for small businesses, and for the government to play a bigger role in jobs creation and matchmaking for the pandemic’s displaced workers.