MANILA – More than 1 million of the 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine that will expire on June 30 have already been administered as first dose, a health official reported Wednesday.
“So, kung may 1 million na tayong naibakuna ngayon…mga, almost 497,000 na lang ang kailangan nating maiturok as first dose sa (if we have used 1 million already, almost 497,000 are left to be administered as first dose within) month of June,” Health Undersecretary and National Vaccination Operations chairperson Myrna Cabotaje said during a televised public briefing.
Cabotaje said the remaining 500,000 of the 2 million doses delivered on May 8 will be administered as second dose “for those who have been given the first dose in March.”
“At ang ginamit kasi nila ay iyong 12-week interval so karamihan po ng mga nabakunahan, iyong galing sa 525,000 noong first batch ay ngayon pa lang magti-twelve weeks at saka iyong sa (What they used is the 12-week interval so most of those who were vaccinated, they used the 525,000 from the first batch which is nearing 12th week and those in the) first week and second week of June,” she said.
The country has so far received 2,556,000 doses of donated AstraZeneca through the World Health Organization (WHO) led COVAX facility.
On Monday, WHO country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe said the Philippines is set to receive additional 2 million doses of AstraZeneca in June.
Proportional distribution of Covid-19 jabs
In the same Laging Handa press briefing, National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 spokesperson retired Gen. Restituto Padilla said the government assured a proportional distribution of coronavirus vaccines.
He said the government will focus the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines to the so-called 'surge areas' to ensure the protection of vulnerable sectors against the risks of infection and further reduce transmission of the disease.
He said the Department of Health has already made several announcements regarding the proportional distribution of the vaccines, particularly in the high-risk areas such as the National Capital Region and the adjacent provinces of Bulacan, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Cavite, and Pampanga, as well as in Metro Cebu and Metro Davao.
On the other hand, Padilla said various health workers in the local government units (LGUs) have guaranteed that the vaccines could be utilized on time, especially those nearing expiration dates.
"So makakaasa po kayo nasa itinataas natin rate ng pagbabakuna sa bawat araw at yung hanagarin natin na itaas pa ito ng kalahating milyon o mahigit ay nariyan ang pamamaraan at pasilidad upang magawa natin ang paggamit sa mga baking ito bago pa man dumating yung mga takdang expiry date (You can be assured that with our increasing daily vaccination capacity rate and with our goal to improve this up to half-million or more, we have methods and facilities to make sure that these vaccines could be used before the expiry date)," he said.
Padilla also cited the result of a recent survey that about 50 percent of Filipinos wanting to get vaccinated.
Despite the public's vaccine hesitancy, he is optimistic that the people will eventually realize the good effects of the Covid-19 vaccines.
"Marami pa po siguro ang nag-iisip at medyo hesitant pa pero kinalaunan po pag nakita nila na mainam at maayos po ang lahat ng mga bakunang ito at nabibigyan po ng proteksyon ang bawat mamayan ay magpapabakuna na rin sila at tataas pa rin itong 50 percent na malapit na sa ating tinutukoy na 70 percent na target (There are probably many who are still thinking and hesitant but later when they see that all these vaccines are effective and would provide protection for each citizen, they might consider getting vaccinated and this 50 percent could increase up to our 70 percent target)," he said. (PNA)
