The Department of Health (DOH) said that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination in Metro Manila has improved during the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said that they particularly saw an improvement in the vaccination of senior citizens (A2) and people with comorbidities (A3). “Yes, we have improved the immunization of A2 and A3 during the ECQ,” she said.

Cabotaje said that before the ECQ was imposed in Metro Manila, the “seven-day average jab” was at 151,924. When the ECQ was implemented, the figure increased to 168,063.

“Mas mataas tayo ng 17,000 average compared to pre-ECQ....So, we have a total of 1.8 million that have been jabbed from the time na nag ECQ tayo (It's at least 17,000 higher compared to pre-ECQ .... So, we have a total of 1.8 million that have been jabbed from the time that we imposed ECQ),” said the Health official in an online forum on Thursday, Aug. 19.

“We can see na tumaas po yung ating nabigyan ng second dose during the ECQ.Tumaas po yung ating A2 at A3 (vaccine recipients) during the ECQ-- in many of the areas of NCR (We can see that many people received their second dose during the ECQ. Our A2 and A3 (vaccine recipients) increased during the ECQ -- in many of the areas of NCR),” she added.

Among the factors why the vaccination rate increased include the threat of the Delta variant and that local government units (LGUs) really intensified their vaccination efforts, said Cabotaje.

“Nag improved ng husto yung ating acceptance. Natakot sila sa Delta variant. So, dumami yung gustong magpabakuna (The acceptance on vaccination has improved a lot. They were scared of the Delta variant. So, more people want to get vaccinated),” said Cabotaje.

“Ngayon, napilitan yung ating mga LGU to streamline their processes na gawin na mas mabilis, magdagdag, at may mga tulong sa ating mga private sector (Our LGUs were forced to streamline their processes to make their vaccination activities faster. And of course, with the assistance of the private sector),” she added.

‘Slow’ vaccination

The limited vaccine supply globally and the increasing number of COVID-19 cases continue to have an impact on the country’s vaccination program, said Cabotaje.

“It’s slow in the sense na kulang yung bakuna (that vaccine supply is limited) and it’s slow in the sense na may mga (that there are other) intervening factors, especially the surges,” said Cabotaje.

Cabotaje made the statement after 50 percent of Filipinos think that the country’s vaccination program is “slow.”

“Sa ibang areas kasi pag nagkaroon ng surge, kalahati ng health worker o lahat ng kanilang health workers, nandoon sa response, so kakaunti ang naiiwan pang-bakuna (In other areas, when there is a surge, half of the health workers or all of their health workers are there in the (COVID-19) response, so only few of them are being deployed in the vaccination activities),” said Cabotaje.

“We are now helping them with the human resource katulong po ng private sector, ‘yung ating nasa medical school kung paano makatulong in areas na made-deprive ng health worker (We are now helping them in terms of human resources with the assistance from the private sector and those in the medical school to help areas deprived of health workers)...We also tapped Red Cross,” she added.

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