President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Malacañang Palace on November 9, 2021. KARL ALONZO/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
THE government eyes to immunize 15 million individuals in the planned National COVID-19 Vaccination Day, as it ramps up the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination nationwide, the country’s vaccine czar has said.
In his report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during a meeting aired on Wednesday, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government would facilitate three-day vaccination activities throughout the country to expedite the vaccination of individuals who have not taken the shot.
“Ang objective po nito is to mobilize all stakeholders, people and logistics to facilitate the vaccination with COVID-19 vaccines of at least 15 million individuals in three days,” Galvez said.
“Ang maganda rin po rito ay gagawin po natin na ito rin po ang isang daan na matulungan din po natin ‘yung mga areas na medyo mahina po sa vaccination because of some challenges and also logistical limitations.”
The strategy will be carried out through either a Department of Health (DOH) circular, department circular or an executive order declaring three consecutive days as a national holiday or “National COVID-19 Vaccination Days,” Galvez explained.
Under the new government strategy, 4,000 to 5,000 vaccination sites will be established such as fixed sites, mega vaccination sites, temporary posts, and mobile vaccination.
Facilities such as universities and colleges, arenas, gymnasiums, private sector fast-food chains, malls and workplaces will be used.
“We will also mobilize all government agencies. Katulad po ng AFP, PNP, at lahat po ng mga tinatawag nating service uniformed personnel sa CHED, DSWD, DOLE, PCOO, and other government agencies that can help us in the vaccination of our total populations, and general populations and children,” the vaccine czar said.
“Then also we will mobilize all government units starting from the provinces down to the different barangays. And then also, the Philippine Medical Association and also the different integrated association, Philippine Nurses, the Philippine College of Physicians, the Philippine Pediatric Society and other medical allied personnel like Philippine Dental Association and also other private sector partners.”
All healthcare workers, both from the private and public sectors, as well as self-employed, will also be mobilized.
The scheme also aims to fast track the delivery of vaccines and ancillaries to different localities through the assistance of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the private sector.
“And also, we will intensify the social preparation activities to drumbeat the campaign so that we could increase furthermore the uptake and the acceptance of the vaccines regardless of the brand,” said Galvez.
“And then, we will also activate the health emergency command system structure with the establishment of the Local Vaccine Operations Centers for governance and coordination.”
The preparation phase started November 1 and will continue until November 28 while the execution phase will be on November 21 to December 1, the vaccine coordinator said, adding the scheme will be sustained throughout December.
“Meaning, we will not end up with the National Vaccination Day. We will sustain the effort up to December 31,” he said.
President Duterte wants local government units (LGUs) to fast track the deployment and administration of vaccines in their jurisdictions to achieve the government target on the total number of vaccinated individuals before the end of the year.
