Palace assures immunization plan ready vs. Covid-19

Roque explained that the plan has been in place not just for existing vaccines, but also in anticipation of a vaccine to prevent Covid-19 infection. (File photo: Fusion Medical Animation/Unsplash)

MANILA – The national government is ready to implement an immunization plan should a coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine roll out in the future, Malacañang said on Tuesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this assurance after House Rep. Francisco Datol urged the government to come out with a national action plan targeting vulnerable populations, especially the elderly and the sickly.

“Bago pa po magpayo si Congressman Datol ay meron na po tayong plano, meron na po tayong tinatawag na national vaccination plan (Even before Congressman Datol gave this advice, we already prepared a national vaccination plan),” Roque said in a virtual presser.

Roque explained that the plan has been in place not just for existing vaccines, but also in anticipation of a vaccine to prevent Covid-19 infection.

He welcomed Datol’s request, saying he would send the request to the Department of Health (DOH) to give priority to the senior citizens.

However, he pointed out that prioritizing the elderly was already part of the immunization plan.

“Sa tingin ko naman po it goes without saying kasi identified naman po na most vulnerable group ang senior citizens (I think it goes without saying because it has already been identified that the most vulnerable group are senior citizens),” he said.

In a statement on Sunday, Datol called on the government to prepare a national action plan as a “prudent course of action” to anticipate a vaccine which may be developed in the future.

“Vaccination is a life-saving necessity. It is the only way to protect every person from Covid-19 and from all the other diseases for which there already are vaccines. The goal must be 100 percent vaccination. Failure to achieve 100 percent vaccination is not an option,” he said.

He said the government should also launch a campaign to remove fears over immunization due to the controversy over the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia.

“I also ask all the controversial figures involved in the Dengvaxia scare to please inhibit from muddling the Covid-19 vaccination program. I urge restraint,” he said.

Earlier, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners launched the “Solidarity trial”, an international clinical trial to help find an effective treatment for Covid-19.

The DOH announced that the participation of the Philippines in the WHO Solidarity trial has been approved by the Single Joint Research Ethics Board (SJREB) in support of the Covid-19 global response.

The Philippine representatives to the WHO Solidarity clinical trial is led by Dr. Marissa Alejandria of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine and President of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, in close collaboration with the DOH and the WHO.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire will serve as the official liaison for the DOH.

More than 100 countries have joined the Solidarity Trial with more than 1,200 patients randomized from the first five countries, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of four drugs and drug combinations.

Currently, there is no proven treatment for Covid-19 but hospitals can provide supportive care for complications, including supplemental oxygen and advanced organ support for respiratory failure.