The country’s health experts are currently looking at the possibility of having Covid-19 vaccination to become a yearly basis, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said.

“Tinatantiya po ng ating mga eksperto na magiging parang trangkaso na lang. Hindi ba sa trangkaso mayroon tayong tinatawag na yearly flu shot (Our experts estimate that it will be like flu. We have a yearly shot for flu),” said DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje during a public briefing on Saturday, March 26.

“Pag nagkataon yan, baka kailangan taunang bakuna, titingnan din kung lahat ba ng population o yung high risk at vulnerable lamang (If that happens, we may need a yearly vaccination. We also need to determine if this will be for the entire population or only for those who are considered as high risk and vulnerable)," she added.

Expanding the Covid-19 vaccination program was part of President Duterte’s 10-point agenda that seeks to sustain the Philippines’ economic recovery, said Cabotaje.

“Ang isang prinsipyo diyan ay iyong accelerate and expand the vaccination program. So nakaayos na rin iyong mga kailangang gawin ng iba’t ibang ahensiya. Alam naman natin ang bakunahan ay whole-of-government, whole-of-society kasama na ang private sector (One of the principles there is to accelerate and expand the vaccination program. The things that the different agencies need to do have been laid out. We know that vaccination is a whole-of-government, whole-of-society including the private sector),” said Cabotaje.

“So kailangan natin na palawakin iyong ating mga bakuna center, ilapit iyong mga bakuna center o papuntahin sa mas malapit na bakuna center iyong ating mamamayan, mas mapabilis at mapadali natin iyong mga procedure para magpabakuna sila at alisin natin iyong mga hindi kailangan na restrictions (we need to expand our vaccination centers and bring these closer to the people, speed up the vaccination procedures, and remove the unnecessary restrictions),” she added.