Over 2M more jabbed amid ‘Odette’ onslaught

MANILA – While Typhoon Odette forced the government to scale down its second massive vaccination drive, the country was still administered more than two million doses from December 15 to 17.

Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said 2,369,216 Covid-19 vaccine doses have been given, at least 31 percent of the original seven million target, during the three-day second run of the National Vaccination Days or “Bayanihan, Bakunahan”.

“Sa Central Visayas, walang naganap na bakunahan dahil (In Central Visayas, no massive vaccination drive happened because) they were greatly affected. At least 637 out of the 1,634 local government units (LGUs) did not have any report,” she said in a Laging Handa briefing.

The Department of Health (DOH) is also trying to get more reports to determine whether there was vaccines spoilage as the typhoon left several provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao without electricity.

“We may have some vaccines that have been compromised because of power outages. While we have been prepared, baka sa katagalan at ‘yong problema sa fuel (it is possible),” she said.

Cabotaje said the DOH is monitoring the possible wastage in Region 4-A (Calabarzon) where the vehicle carrying Moderna jabs figured in an accident.

Reports from Central and Eastern Visayas, on the other hand, are unavailable.

“The comms are down. We are coordinating with the OCD (Office of Civil Defense), even our military to see the situation of our vaccines,” Cabotaje noted.

The official said the vaccination campaign will resume until December 22 but the national government will let the LGUs decide if they would focus on relief efforts in the meantime.

“We will leave it to the judgment of the local government units, puwede na silang magbakuna even after December 22 kung sa assessment nila ay hindi pa nila kayang mag-bakuna (they can start vaccinating even after December 22 if, based on their assessment, they cannot resume yet),” Cabotaje said.