House to house COVID-19 vaccination for vulnerable folk eyed

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government is considering conducting house-to-house COVID-19 vaccination against  for vulnerable members of society who cannot go physically to vaccination sites, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said Monday.

During a briefing on the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program at the House of Representatives, Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Estrelita Suansing asked Duque whether the government is considering house-to-house vaccination as opposed people going to vaccination sites.

Duque said this proposal is already part of the government’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

“‘Yung house-to-house, posible pong gagawin natin, kasama na sa pagpa-plano lalo na doon sa mga very, very vulnerable and high-risk senior citizens,” he said.

(We can do the house-to-house, it is already part of our planning especially for those who are very, very vulnerable and high-risk senior citizens.)

Duque, however, said “this is more of an exception rather than the rule.”

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III   (ROBINSON NIÑAL/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO)

He explained that post-immunization surveillance, monitoring, and recording of adverse events after immunization should be strictly carried out.

“‘Yan, titignan natin on a more focused basis ‘yung sektor na baka mahirapan kung papupuntahin sila sa mga vaccine sites. We will bring the vaccines to them,” Duque said.

(We will look at it on a more focused basis, those who may have difficulties in going to vaccination sites, we will bring the vaccines to them.)

The Philippine government is already mapping out the roll out of vaccines, taking into consideration the storage and temperature requirements, Duque said.

 gsg