PH poised to combat COVID-19 with jabs

After receiving the government’s nod, the Philippine National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for COVID-19 Vaccines is now ready to be implemented as the nationwide campaign to combat the coronavirus.

The memorandum was signed by NTF COVID-19 chairperson and Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana, vice chair and Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, and chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. Included in the document are the government’s process of engagement to independent parties on vaccine development, evaluation and selection, the funding requirements, and technical details on the vaccine storage.

"By approaching the vaccination program in a whole-of-system government, whole-of-society approach, we can ensure the success of the national vaccine deployment program in delivering safe, effective and accessible vaccines for all Filipinos," said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III in the memorandum’s foreword.

The first batch of coronavirus vaccines is set to arrive in the Philippines this February, according to Galvez. This is in line with the government's aim to vaccinate 50 million to 70 million Filipinos this year.

The country is expected to receive more than 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer, Inc. this quarter under a global initiative for equal access. These will be given to about 56,000 health frontliners. Moreover, about 9.2 million doses of vaccines developed by AstraZeneca Plc are anticipated in the first half. The Sinovac vaccine from China is also expected; it is set to arrive on the 23rd of February, according to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

Meanwhile, former Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral stressed that the health sector should lead the information campaign on COVID-19 vaccines.

"I think that our health care providers should be playing a major role in the information campaign because they are the ones most trusted by people when they deliver health information," Cabral said in a briefing in Malacanang last February 4, 2021.

On the other hand, lockdown in the Philippines will not be easily lifted even after the distribution of the vaccines. “Easing quarantines would depend on the recommendations of health authorities,” said Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles to the reporters via Zoom Cloud Meetings.

Quarantines won’t be immediately relaxed once the vaccines are rolled out,” he added in Filipino. “Once the vaccines take effect and cases fall, we will consider easing the quarantines.”