Around 90 million Filipinos are targeted to be inoculated by the national government against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by the end of second quarter of 2022 or in June, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Monday night, Jan. 10.
During the “Talk to the People” public address of President Duterte, Galvez said this new objective will be attainable with the inclusion in the national tally of the booster vaccination of the adult population, the planned boostering of the pediatric sector, the yet-to-start vaccination of five to 11 years old, and the possible primary series vaccination of zero to four years old.
“Ang atin pong main objective ay mabakunahan ang 90 million na Pilipino. Sa bilang po na ito ay mayroon po tayong babakunahan pa na primary series o 'yung unang bakuna sa 28 to 30 million na katao (Our main objective is to vaccinate 90 million Filipinos. Out of this number, we still have to inoculate around 28 to 30 million individuals with their primary series or the first dose),” Galvez, who also serves as the chief implementer of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19, said.
The new target was set after the NTF fell short of hitting its vaccination target in 2021 which was to fully vaccinate 54 million Filipinos.
As of Monday, a total of 52.85 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while 57.82 million have received their first dose. There were also 3.58 million who had their booster shots.
To help reach their new target, Galvez said the NTF is planning to provide booster shots to 72.16 million adult population or those aged 18 years old and above, and 12.74 million individuals aged 12 to 17 years old.
He said they were also looking forward to start the primary series and booster vaccination of 15.56 million individuals aged five to 11 years old, and the possible primary series vaccination of 11.11 million individuals aged zero to four years old.
So far, a total of 213,487,520 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been delivered to the country.
“We have a total of $800 million or P40 billion equivalent available for the procurement of vaccines and boosters for CY 2022 from the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and additional financing,” Galvez revealed.
“So ibig sabihin po, iyong P45 billion na Unprogrammed Appropriations po natin sa ating NEP , mayroon na po tayong assured na P40 billion. Iyong GAA po natin for 2022 also provided the Department of Health an additional P2.79 billion funds for boosters (This means that out of the P45 billion in Unprogrammed Appropriations in the NEP, we already have an assured P40 billion. The GAA for 2022 also provided the department of Health an additional P2.79 billion funds for boosters),” he added.
Roadblocks
However, Galvez acknowledged that there were challenges in the current national vaccination program that may hinder the NTF to achieve its goal.
One of these is the surge of cases which shifted the focus of the healthcare workers’ and local government units’ (LGUs) attention to the treatment of the sick patients. Many medical frontliners who are part of the vaccination teams were also placed under quarantine or isolation after being infected or exposed to a COVID-positive individual, Galvez said.
Galvez also mentioned the upcoming May 9 national and local elections which may turn the attention of local chief executives away from the vaccination program.
“May malaking impact sa ating current daily vaccination output (This has a big impact on our current daily vaccination output),” he said.
Further, Galvez said some LGUs and residents still practice brand preference in choosing what vaccines they will get. He noted this “will greatly affect and compromise the shelf life of other effective vaccines.”
Finally, Galvez foresees a shortage of vaccine supply for individuals aged five to 11 years old since the brand that will be used for their vaccination has different components than what is being used for the adult population.
“Iyong ginagamit po natin sa mga bata ay (What we have been using for the children’s vaccination is) only a limited brand and will create shortage during the first quarter,” he said, referring to the Pfizer vaccine that was approved by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) to be used for the emergency use of the pediatric sector.
“Sa 5-11 years old po, iba po ang formulation po nito and it will delay 'yung vaccination for minors kasi iisa lang po ang mayroon po tayong children formulation (For those five to 11 years old, we have a different vaccine formulation and it will delay the vaccination for minors since we only have one children formulation),” he concluded.
The first batch of Pfizer shots for five to 11 years old individuals will be delivered this month and their vaccination may start in February.