Taal evacuation sites receive more test kits, anti-COVID vaccines from gov’t

DOH Undersecretary and spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The government has distributed additional antigen test kits and will increase the COVID-19 vaccine allocation to evacuation centers that shelter residents affected by the phreatomagmatic eruption of the Taal Volcano, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

“Antigen test kits have been distributed already. These will be used for the different evacuation sites. Also the allocation of vaccines will be increased,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire told an online media briefing.

“We are hoping that by vaccinating individuals and monitoring them through antigen test kits and symptomatic monitoring, we will prevent infections in the evacuation centers,” she added.

Meanwhile, Dr. Voltaire Guadalupe, medical officer at the DOH Region 4A, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has provided “more than enough” test kits to evacuation sites.

“We are providing additional vaccines as well as additional test kits with the help of other government agencies. NDRRMC has provided more than enough test kits for the current evacuees. The DOH has also procured enough vaccines for all of the evacuees,” he said.

Guadalupe said 3,430 individuals are currently staying at 95 evacuation centers following the eruption of Taal Volcano on Thursday last week.

Alert level 3, which means that magma from the main crater could drive explosive eruption, remains raised over the volcano.

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JPV