Gov’t may no longer conduct COVID-19 ‘Bakunahan’ drive — NVOC chair

MANILA, Philippines — The government may no longer conduct COVID-19 National Vaccination Days (NVDs) and will instead just focus on areas with low coverage, the chairperson of the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) said Tuesday.

“Baka hindi na tayo magkaroon ng National Vaccination Day. Mas focus na sa mga probinsya na kailangan ng tulong, doon ibubuhos, hindi na parang general na lahat na,” NVOC chairperson and Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said at the Laging Handa public briefing.

(We may no longer conduct National Vaccination Days. We will just focus on provinces that need our help. We will focus our assistance there and not in general places.)

Cabotaje noted that some areas have already reached 70-percent vaccination coverage for the general population and senior citizens.

“So ang tututukan na lang natin, ‘yung mga iba’t ibang [lugar], lalong lalo na ‘yung mga siyudad na hindi nakakamit ng kanilang parameters na fully vaccinate at least 70 to 80 percent ‘yung kanilang A2 (senior citizens),” she added.

(So we will just focus on different places, especially cities that have not reached the parameter of fully vaccinating 70 to 80 percent of their A2 residents or senior citizens.)

So far, the government has conducted four NVDs, also dubbed as the “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” drive, to boost the country’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage.

The fourth leg of the program was initially conducted from March 10 to 12, but it was extended for the general population until Tuesday and for senior citizens until Friday.

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