Drilon not convinced of gov’t COVID-19 vaccination roadmap

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon expressed doubts on the national government’s COVID-19 vaccination roadmap after it was tackled in a Senate hearing on Monday.

“Parang suntok sa buwan ang vaccination program lalo na ‘yung sinasabi nila na 148 million doses within the year. The arrival of the vaccines is not even definite,” Drilon said in a statement.

ADVERTISEMENT

“How can they say that they will be able to purchase 148 million doses by the end of 2021 when up to now, we haven’t given any Emergency Use Authorization to any vaccine and we have not been able to raise, through loans, all the needed amount for the purchase of the vaccines?” he added.

The task force and the Department of Health (DOH) in the Senate detailed the “National COVID-19 Vaccination Program” or the roadmap on vaccination.

According to them, 148 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from 7 manufacturers will be given to 50 to 70 million Filipinos by 2021.

ADVERTISEMENT

Meanwhile, Health Sec. Francisco Duque III, DOH, Department of Information and Communications Technology, and local government units will compile an online master list of vaccines.

They will be given their own QR code.

Vaccination teams will also be formed, led by a doctor, and teams who will monitor for vaccine reactions.

ADVERTISEMENT

COVID-19 vaccination Priority list

  • 1st priority: frontline health workers
  • 2nd priority: indigent senior citizens
  • 3rd priority: remaining senior citizens
  • 4th priority: remaining indigent population
  • 5th priority: uniformed personnel (PNP, AFP, PCG, BFP, CAFGU)

Galvez also said that there are around 25,000 vaccinators undergoing training as the start of COVID-19 vaccination in the country nears.

Drilon said that while the COVID-19 vaccination plan is good on paper, it is “filled with uncertainties and leaves too much to chance.”

“I am not reassured in the slightest by what I heard. To be honest, I am more confused now. The government’s COVID-19 vaccination plan fails to provide the public the assurance they need from the government,” Drilon said.

“They have a better chance of achieving their targets if they lift the restriction that they set that prevents local chief executives and the private sector from buying vaccines directly from the manufacturers,” he added.