THE government expects to realize its target of fully vaccinating 54 million individuals against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the first week of this month, presidential adviser for COVID-19 response Secretary Vince Dizon said yesterday.
Dizon, during the “Laging Handa” public briefing, said the government also expects to administer the first dose to 70 million individuals by the end of January and fully vaccinate the same 70 million by the end of February or by the early part of March.
The government initially targeted the full vaccination 54 million individuals by the end of 2021, in a bid to achieve population protection, but failed to do so after vaccination in several regions in the Visayas and Mindanao was suspended due to the onslaught of typhoon “Odette.” Relief and rehabilitation efforts are still ongoing.
As of January 2, the National Vaccine Operations Center, said 108.85 million doses of vaccines have been administered nationwide — 57.15 million as first dose, 49.85 million as second dose, and 1.8 million as booster shots.
Since February last year, some 210.1 million doses of vaccines have been delivered to the country.
Dizon reiterated the government is also prioritizing inoculation of vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens and persons with comorbidities.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año urged local government units to ramp up vaccination of their constituents, specially those who are highly vulnerable to the disease, amid the threat of the Omicron variant.
Año also urged the LGUs throughout the country to step up efforts to ensure minimum public health standards, including wearing of face mask and observance of physical distancing, are followed.
“We are urging the local government units to ensure a 100 percent vaccination rate when it comes to their senior citizens or those in the A2 priority group and their persons with comorbidities or A3 category based on the advise of the DOH (Department of Health),” said Año.
Año told the LGUs to do house-to-house vaccination for those in the A2 and A3 priority group in coordination with the private sector.
He said LGUs should also practice “active case finding” through their contact tracers, immediately place areas with confirmed COVID-19 case or cases under granular lockdown, and ensure establishments are accommodating customers within their allowed capacity.
Año said local government officials should also heed the call of the DOH to re-orient barangay personnel on the basics of COVID-19 response. Also, he encouraged them to use technologies, such as the contract tracing app State Safe, in the contact tracing efforts.
He said LGUs should also closely monitor the compliance to home quarantine and facility-based isolation protocols by conducting daily checks, either in-person or via mobile phones. — With Victor Reyes
