Sa 2 araw na national vaxx drive... 5 M Pinoy nabakunahan kontra-COVID-19

ni Lolet Abania | December 1, 2021

Umabot sa 2.3 milyon indibidwal ang nabakunahan kontra-COVID-19 nitong Martes, ang ikalawang araw ng three-day national vaccination drive ng gobyerno, ayon kay testing czar Vince Dizon.

“For the numbers for November 30, yesterday, we’re roughly at 2.3 million but we expect this to go up even more in the coming hours as we get more reports especially from rural areas,” ani Dizon sa isang interview ngayong Miyerkules.

Ayon kay Dizon, kasunod ito ng 2.708 milyon doses na kanilang na-administer na nai-record sa unang araw ng vaccination drive nitong Lunes, Nobyembre 29.

Kaya nakapagbakuna na ang bansa ng tinatayang 5 milyon indibidwal sa unang dalawang araw ng “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” ng pamahalaan.

“Vaccinating 2.7 million doses in a day is not a joke. It's very, very difficult, that's why not a lot of countries can do it. Based on the number we’re seeing, I think for a single-day vaccination rate, the Philippines is probably in the top five in the world,” sabi ni Dizon.

Ayon naman kay Department of Health (DOH) Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, ang mga bansa na may mataas na daily vaccination output ay China na may 22 milyon doses; India na may 10 milyon; at ang United States na may 3.48 milyon.

“Everybody said that vaccine hesitancy is so high, that people don’t want to get jabbed, but I think our bayanihan spirit has really shown us that if we work together especially under the leadership of President Duterte, that him egging on everyone to get vaccinated has proven that we can get things done,” pahayag ni Dizon.

Matatandaang binawasan ng task force ang kanilang target vaccination output para sa three-day vaccination drive na mula sa 15 milyon ay ginawang 9 milyon na lamang dahil sa kakulangan ng mga ancillary supplies, partikular na ang syringes o hiringgilya.

“While it’s true that we haven’t reached the 3 million target, like you said 2.7 million on the first day, is not bad and it just really motivates us more to get things working and just working together shows that we can get this done,” paliwanag pa ni Dizon.

Samantala, magkakaroon ng isa pang national vaccination drive sa Disyembre 15 hanggang 17 para makatulong na makamit ang target ng gobyerno na 54 milyong Pilipino na maging fully vaccinated hanggang sa katapusan ng taon.

Dahil sa Omicron variant.. Sapilitang pagbabakuna kontra-COVID, pinag-aaralan pa — Malacañang

ni Lolet Abania | November 30, 2021

Ipinahayag ng Malacañang ngayong Martes na hindi pa napagdedesisyunan ng gobyerno ang pagpapatupad ng mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations dahil depende pa ito sa magiging resulta ng 3-day nationwide vaccination drive.

“We still continue to discuss that (mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations) inside the [Inter-Agency Task Force],” ani acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles.

“As long as we see the consistent, significant turnout during massive vaccinations, where we are seeing one million doses administered in a day and as much as three million doses administered per day due to three day massive vaccination rollout, then, hopefully, there might not be a need for that if a lot of people will get vaccinated,” sabi ni Nograles.

Gayunman, sinabi ni Nograles na ang bagong Omicron variant ng COVID-19 variant ay isa pang rason na posibleng makaimpluwensiya sa kanilang magiging desisyon.

“So, at the end of the day, as President Rodrigo Duterte said, we will balance the police power of the state, and the public health and safety of our people. We continue to weigh the options,” saad ng kalihim.

Subalit ayon kay Nograles, dapat ding pag-aralan ito ng Kongreso na magpasa ng isang batas para sa mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.

“There needs to be a law for that, and there will be mandatory enforcement if Congress will pass a law and the President signs it. It is up to Congress to pass a law if they feel the need to make it mandatory,” paliwanag ni Nograles.

Samantala, pinag-iisipan naman ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na maging mandatory ang pagbabakuna kontra-COVID-19.

Ang naging pahayag ng Pangulo ay kasunod ng banta ng Omicron COVID-19 variant. “I may agree with the task force (IATF) if they decide to make it mandatory (vaccination). It’s for public health. Now, kung ayaw mo, ‘wag kang lumabas,” sabi ni Pangulong Duterte sa kanyang Talk to the People.

“It’s actually to protect public health... In some countries mandatory na, dito maingay ang human rights,” sabi ni P-Duterte. Ayon pa sa Punong Ehekutibo, maaari niyang pilitin ang mga Pilipino na magpabakuna kontra-COVID-19 dahil sa kanyang police power. “Now under the police power of the state, I can compel you,” giit pa ng Pangulo.

30K volunteers, sasabak sa 3-araw na nat’l vaccination drive — DOH

ni Lolet Abania | November 27, 2021

Umabot sa tinatayang 30,000 volunteers sa ngayon, ang nag-sign up para sa 3-araw na national vaccination drive na gaganapin sa Nobyembre 29 hanggang Disyembre 1, ayon sa Department of Health (DOH).

“[Now] we are happy to note that we have around 30,000 who have already volunteered and are being matched to their local government units. Some of them will actually be coming from the National Capital Region (NCR),” ani DOH Health Promotion Bureau/Disease Prevention and Control Bureau Director Dr. Beverly Ho sa Laging Handa briefing ngayong Sabado. “Pero siyempre, we will need more,” dagdag ni Ho.

Una nang sinabi ng pamahalaan na nangangailangan sila ng tinatayang 160,000 volunteers para sa national vaccination drive.

“Marami po kasing nagtatanong kung kailangan may medical background ba bago ka puwede mag-volunteer. So ang sagot po natin doon ay hindi, kasi we actually need educators -- ‘yung mga tumutulong po mag-register at tumutulong din po na mag-orient or mag-observe roon sa sites natin to help traffic, at encoders,” paliwanag ni Ho.

“Lagi naman po tayo sa Pilipinas, best effort always, lalo na ang healthcare workers natin na nagwo-work na for a very, very long time,” sabi pa ni Ho.

Ayon naman sa National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF) at ng National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) nitong Biyernes, nag-adjust sila ng kanilang target na vaccination output para sa 3-araw na vaccination campaign ng 9 na milyon na lamang sa halip na 15 milyon.

Sinabi rin ng NTF at NVOC na magkakaroon ng isa pang round ng 3-araw na vaccination drive na gaganapin naman mula Disyembre 15 hanggang 17. Makakatulong ito upang makamit ng gobyerno ang target na maging fully vaccinated ang 54 milyong Pinoy bago matapos ang taon.

“The Bayanihan Bakunahan on November 29 to December 1 will primarily focus on increasing the Philippines’ coverage of the first dose to 70% and increase the booster jabs, while the December 15 to 17 activities will be focused on administering the second dose and boosters,” pahayag ng NTF at NVOC.