Recto: Hike 2022 funds for COVID booster shots, more vaccine doses

FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: A healthcare worker prepares a Pfizer coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 7, 2021. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto is calling for an increase in the 2022 budget for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots as well as for expanded coverage of the government’s vaccination drive in the wake of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

“Hindi ba dapat dagdagan pa natin yung pondo [Shouldn’t we increase funding] for vaccines next year? Not only for booster shots but it would appear that we might need to provide vaccines to those below 18 to hit 90 percent of the population,” Recto said during Wednesday’s hearing of the Senate finance committee.

The committee is being briefed by the Development Budget Coordination Committee on the proposed 2022 national budget.

“There will be a need to increase the budget again for next year, be it for boosters and to increase the number of people that need to be vaccinated more so because of the Delta variant,” Recto added.

Under the proposed budget, P45 billion is allocated under the Department of Health (DOH) for the procurement of booster shots.

However, the amount is lodged under the unprogrammed appropriations, which is dependent on the availability of excess revenue or funding.

The DOH initially proposed to the Department of Budget and Management a P104-billion budget for the vaccine booster doses but the amount was cut to only P45 billion.

Vaccination strategy

During the hearing, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua cited studies suggesting that either a higher level of herd immunity or required annual shots may be needed amid the Delta variant.

The government is initially targeting to inoculate 70 percent of the country’s population to achieve herd immunity.

“We have administered around 36 million doses. Initially, I understand that 70 percent would be needed for herd immunity because of the Delta variant, there are now new studies suggesting either a level of herd immunity or learning to accept that this virus may become endemic, meaning it may not disappear soon. Thus, requiring annual shots as if it were a flu,” Chua told senators.

“That is the evolving thinking and I understand the budget for next year has an allocation for booster shots. Of course, we are monitoring this and trying to understand the direction on how we deal with the vaccination strategy,” he added.

Chua, meanwhile, said the country is expecting a “steady” supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the coming months.

9 million a week

According to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, supply is an important factor in the government’s vaccination drive.

He said the country needs 9 million doses coming in every week to “inoculate everybody.”

“We have already ordered it, we have set aside the money for it. Now, it is up to the pharmas to deliver. And so far, this first week of September, we are already short,” he said.

“Basically, 9 million doses arriving a week is what we need.  Last week, I think we only got 3.5 million. So it is a matter of supply. Everything is already there, the order is there, the negotiations have been completed. The money is ready. So now we are waiting for the pharmas to step up to the plate,” he added.

When asked by Recto if herd immunity can be achieved by the first quarter of next year, Dominguez maintained it would depend on the delivery of vaccine supply to the country.

“That looks probable but again there are vagaries of supplies,” the finance chief said.

“So, again, we hope for the best. Fortunately, we have been able to get steady supply, particularly from Sinovac. They have come up with more than 50 percent of our deliveries. They’re quite steady,” he added.

/MUF