Momentum of vaccination drive slows down due to lockdown — gov’t adviser

PRECAUTION Barriers have been set up in several villages in Pasay City to prohibit nonresidents from going in and out of these communities as Metro Manila undergoes another round of lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19. INQUIRER file photo / MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

MANILA, Philippines — The pace of the country’s COVID-19 vaccination program has recently slowed down especially in areas under strict lockdowns, with the government only able to administer about 500,000 jabs daily as compared to the 700,000 daily shots in recent weeks, special adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 Dr. Ted Herbosa said Wednesday.

“Ngayon, during the ECQ (enhanced community quarantine) parang medyo bumagal kami, bumagal ‘yong national vaccine operation center. Kasi dati nakaka-700,000 plus na tayo per day, bumaba sa 500,000,” he said in a televised public briefing.

(Now, during the ECQ, the vaccinations slowed down. Before we are hitting 700,000 plus jabs per day, this decreased to 500,000.)

This, he said, is mainly because of the lack of manpower as well as the limited supply of vaccines.

He said there was a proposal to tap graduating medical students to volunteer in vaccination sites, which has yet to be approved.

“Approval na lang [ang kailangan], mag-a-allocate pa nga yata ng kaunting allowance para sa medical student na mag-voulnteer at tutulong sa pagbakuna sa vaccination centers,” he said.

(This is yet to be approved. There is also a proposal to allocate funds for allowances for medical students who would volunteer in the vaccination.)

Herbosa noted that majority or about 80% of COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized are unvaccinated against the severe respiratory illness.

Meanwhile, about 10% to 15% of the cases have at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and a small portion of COVID-19 patients who still get sent to intensive care units have already received two doses of the vaccine.

Herbosa said these patients usually have comorbidities or immunosuppression, making it hard for the vaccine to build up an immune response.

“Base sa datos na ito, talagang may epidemya pa ng unvaccinated. That’s why it’s very important na matuloy ‘yung pag-vaccinate,” Herbosa said in televised public briefing.

(Based on this data, there is really an epidemic of the unvaccinated. That’s why it’s important to continue our vaccination program.)

RELATED STORIES:

Gov’t adviser bats for MECQ, stringent localized lockdown in Metro Manila

Rising infections, lockdowns have slowed down COVID-19 vaccination – Galvez

JPV