PASIG CITY (05 August 2021) — The implementation of the vaccination rollout in the National Capital Region will continue during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) period, according to National Task Force against COVID-19 Chief Implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
“Huwag tayong magpanic dahil during ECQ mas magiging aggressive tayo in our vaccine rollout. Magparehistro at sundin ang proper processing because the vaccination program will continue,” said Galvez during an interview on Thursday.
The vaccine czar said that four to six million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been allocated to the NCR and its nearby provinces this August to scale up the daily vaccination throughput particularly in Metro Manila.
Out of these vaccine doses, he said one million shots have already been deployed to local government units.
Galvez said that the NTF is keen on increasing this allocation up to eight million doses, as the country expects to receive 22.7 million doses this month from various manufacturers and sources.
The three million doses of Moderna vaccines donated by United States and COVAX will be distributed to cities and provinces in the NCR+6 (Metro Davao, Metro Cebu, Laguna, Bulacan, Rizal, and Cavite) and other areas under ECQ and MECQ with identified variants. The priority sector will be given to the poor communities and indigent population (A5).
In addition, half of the latest shipment of one million doses of Sinovac will be allocated to the same areas.
“We have collaborated with Metro Manila mayors and different line agencies such as the Department of Transportation and the Department of Health to ensure that we will be able to scale up our vaccine rollout in the NCR and administer 250,000 doses daily during the ECQ period,” Galvez said.
He pointed out that Metro Manila already breached the 200,000 mark in terms of total jabs administered.
Galvez said that various measures will be implemented to ensure that the deployment of vaccines will continue despite the stricter community quarantine status of Metro Manila.
These include house to house vaccination, provision of free transportation services for residents to and from the vaccination sites, and the continuous establishment of vaccination sites in highly-vulnerable communities.
“The Metro Manila mayors promised that they will capitalize this ECQ to increase their fully vaccinated constituents. Because one of the things we want to achieve after two weeks is the significant increase in the number of fully vaccinated individuals,” said Galvez.
As of August 4, more than 10.2 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated. A total of 22,488,705 doses have been administered since the start of the vaccine rollout in March.
“We can beat the Delta variant lalo na kapag fully vaccinated tayo, malaki ang resistance natin against death and hospitalization,” he added.
Preemptive measures
The vaccine czar underscored the need to place the NCR under ECQ as part of the national government’s “pre-emptive” measures to protect the country’s healthcare system and medical workers.
“This is one of our anticipatory efforts dahil ayaw nating matulad sa ibang mga bansang kasalukuyang nakikipaglaban sa Delta variant. Hindi natin hihintayin na ma-overwhelm ang ating healthcare workers at sabihan tayo na hindi na nila kaya,” said Galvez.
“Dapat ngayon pa lang habang wala pang surge, ma-protektahan na natin sila at mapaghandaan na natin,” he added.
Galvez explained that all measures including the preemptive lockdown in critical areas were carefully studied, as extensive consultations were held with various stakeholders including the business sector.
“In order to save the last quarter, kailangan natin ng sakripisyo ngayon. Once maayos ang implementation and compliance on the PDITR-V (Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treatment-Reintegration-Vaccination) strategy, it will drastically lead to lower number of cases,” Galvez said. END
