On COVID-19 Vaccines: WHO urges LGU to widen efforts; Gov’t lowers target rates
By Elaine Diaz
Amidst a possible surge in COVID-19 cases in line with the May 9 elections, the World Health Organization (WHO) challenged local government units to scale up efforts for its vaccination drives and exceed immunization targets as vaccine supplies are readily available. However, the national government recently stated its move to lower its target number of inoculants from 90 million individuals to 77–80 million by the end of June.
Scaled up efforts
The WHO officials issued a warning of a possible increase of cases in the next two months due to a rise in unsafe large gatherings and events, particularly campaign rallies for the upcoming national and local elections.
WHO representative Rajendra Yadav stated that the local governments should scale up their house-to-house vaccination drives instead of waiting for people to go to the vaccination sites, expressing alarm over areas with low vaccination rates.
“The good news is we don’t have [a] vaccine shortage anywhere in the world. The bad news is we’re not reaching the unreached enough. That will cause intense transmission as what’s happening in other countries and create more mutations,” Yadav stated.
In addition, he noted that LGUs should aim to have over 70% of their residents vaccinated to achieve adequate herd immunity. However, issues of access, such as people being unable to take days off from work or travel to the sites, are said to be pressing issues that officials should address.
“We have to reach out to these people who may have more challenges of access, especially people who are elderly and they cannot even travel for 20 to 30 minutes or are merely discouraged if they have to travel,” Yadav expressed.
Lower Target
Contrary to the warning, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., head of the national vaccination program, stated that they are lowering the target number of vaccinated Filipinos before the end of President Duterte’s term, as the country’s vaccination rate slowed down this 2022.
The vaccination rate in the country dropped from 18.2 million doses administered in January to 8.7 million in February and 6.7 million in March.
Galvez called the increasing complacency of people a major factor in the drawbacks. Due to lower reported cases of critical and severe infections, the urgency and motivation to be vaccinated have been impacted.
“The major challenge now is how to change the mindset of the people that the virus still exists,” he said. “We could not afford to become vigilant and be complacent.”
Government data reveal that as of April 19, 67.1 million individuals have been fully vaccinated; however, only 12.7 million got their booster shot out of some 50 million who are due for their booster this month.
In particular, regions Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Minadanao (BARMM) and South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, and General Santos City (Soccksargen) are among those lagging behind in inoculation rates. Of the target population, only 24.7 percent and 58.8 percent have completed their vaccination in the BARMM and Soccksargen, respectively.
As a response, the government has set special vaccination days to widen coverage in BARMM as disinformation, traditional beliefs, and organizational difficulties perpetuate the negative perception of vaccines among its residents.
