FILE PHOTO: A medical worker picks a syringe to use for the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine. Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool via REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines — The government has administered around 2.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines during its second leg of the “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” from December 15-18.
But this figure excludes the count from certain areas, which conduct of the mass vaccination drive was postponed due to Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai). These areas will either stage their Bayanihan, Bakunahan starting this day or soon.
The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 earlier announced the holding of another Bayanihan Bakunahan from December 15-17 to help achieve the government’s goal of fully vaccinating 54 million Filipinos by the end of the year. Bayanihan Bakunahan was a three-day mass vaccinaton drive. It was first held from November 29 to December 1. This second leg, however, was conducted for four days.
READ: 3-day nat’l vaccination target adjusted to 9 million jabs; another drive set in December
Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje on Monday said a total of 2,562,454 anti-COVID shots were injected into qualified individuals from December 15-18.
“From December 15-18, mayroon na tayong 2.5 million na nabakunahan. Pinakamarami nung Day 1 tapos kaunti lang po nung December 18, Sabado,” she said during the Laging Handa briefing.
(From December 15-18, we have vaccinated 2.5 million people. Many were vaccinated during Day 1 and less were administered on December 18, Saturday.)
During the first day of the second national vaccination drive held on December 15, some 1,071,541 vaccine doses were administered while only 62,410 people received the shot on December 18.
Meanwhile, some Typhoon Odette-affected local government units that had canceled their immunization program last week will resume the activity this day.
READ: Gov’t postpones nat’l vax days in Bicol, Mimaropa, Visayas, Mindanao
“May mga 639 local government units na nag-cancel ng kanilang mga vaccination activities dito sa Mimaropa, Region 6, 7, 8, and Caraga. Kaya karamihan sa kanila magsisimula ngayong umaga ang kanilang bakunahan ‘yung mayroon ng power o kaya mayroon ng pangtakbo ng kanilang generator,” Cabotaje explained.
(There are 639 local government units that canceled their vaccination activities in Mimaropa, Regions 6, 7, 8, and Caraga. So, most of them will start this morning if they already have power or a generator.)
“Ang napagkayarian po, pag-iibayuhin ‘yung NCR (National Capital Region), CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), [Regions] 1, 2, 3, 4A ay tuloy-tuloy pa rin ‘yung bakunahan. Tapos uumpisahan na po ‘yung mga naudlot sa Region 5, Mimaropa, 6, 7, 8, and Caraga,” she added.
(What was agreed upon was to ramp up the vaccination in NCR, CAR, and Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A. Then, we will start vaccination activities in Region 5, Mimaropa, Regions 6, 7, 8, and Caraga, where inoculations were put on hold.)
For the severe tropical storm-hit areas that cannot commence vaccination activities yet, the Department of Health said it is leaving the decision to the LGUs on when they plan to resume their inoculation.
“Iniiwan na natin po sa mga lokal na pamahalaan kung kailan na sila pwedeng mag-umpisa ng bakunahan at kung available na ‘yung mga bakuna sa kanilang mga area,” Cabotaje said.
(We leave the discretion to our local governments on when they could start with the vaccinations and if the vaccines are already available in their area.)
“May sinasabi din na kung kakayanin ng lokal na pamahalaan, pwede na ring magbakuna sa ating mga evacuation center, but we all leave it to the diskarte ng ating mga LGUs,” she continued.
(If the local government could vaccinate in evacuation centers, they can, but we all leave it to the strategy of LGUs.)