The government and the private sector aim to finally start the vaccination of economic frontliners and indigents on Labor Day next month once it secures additional Covid-19 doses.
This as the government is now eyeing to achieve “herd immunity” in the country’s urban and economic centers where most of the infections have flared up.
Among the areas to be prioritized in the vaccine deployment are Greater Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and some areas in Davao region.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines “herd immunity” the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection.
Scheduled arrival
IN an online news briefing on Tuesday, chief implementer of the government’s national policy on Covid-19 Carlito G. Galvez Jr. disclosed they expect an additional 4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to be delivered by May in time for the expanded coverage of their inoculation drive.
Among the vaccines that are expected to arrive next month are the 2 million jabs from Sinovac Biotech, 2 million jabs from Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology, and the remaining 104,000 doses from Moderna.
“Just in case all of these [doses] arrive, we could start the vaccination of those, who belong to the A1, A2, A3, as well as A4 and A5 [priority list],” Galvez said.
The government already secured a supply agreement with Sinovac and Moderna in previous months.
Galvez said they are scheduled to finalize their negotiation with Gamaleya this week.
Faster deployment
Currently, the government is vaccinating workers in frontline health services (A1), senior citizens (A2), and persons with comorbidities (A3) since they have the highest risk from Covid-19 infection.
It has yet to start the immunization of frontline personnel in essential sectors, including uniformed personnel (A4) and the indigent population (A5).
Galvez said he had already instructed the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) to start the vaccination of those belonging to the A4 to A5 groups to fast track the vaccine deployment in the country.
As of April 5, 2021, the government was able to give the first dose to 781,415 A1 beneficiaries, of which, 28,401 were given their second dose.
Among those who got their second dose are Galvez and Covid-19 Deputy Chief Implementer and testing czar Vivencio “Vince” Dizon.
The government was also able to inoculate 21,810 A2 beneficiaries and 22,437 A3 beneficiaries.
It is targeting to inoculate 40 million to 70 million people this year.
Supply shortage
Among the factors, which had slowed down the pace of the vaccination drive, was the existing international shortage of Covid-19 vaccines.
He noted they were initially expecting 4 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to arrive this month.
However, due to supply woes, this was slashed by half to 2 million.
The trend, Galvez said, is expected to continue until the end of the second quarter of the year.
The delayed shipment of the Covid-19 vaccine, particularly that of the AstraZeneca jabs from the Vaccines Global Access (Covax) facility raised concerns since those who received its initial jab last month will soon need to get their second shot.
The WHO, which coordinates with the Covax Facility, has already committed the next round AstraZeneca vaccine will arrive before the end of the month, according to Galvez.