No reason for Pinoys to stay unvaxxed as jabs now sufficient

MANILA – As more supplies of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines pour into the country, a consultant of the National Task Force against Covid-19 said Filipinos no longer have a reason not to get vaccinated.

“Wala na po tayong reason na mag-dalawang isip na hindi tayo pwede bakunahan. Nandyan na po ang supply ang pag-implement na lang o ‘yung pag babakuna ang kailangan paigtingin natin (There is no more reason to have second thoughts on whether we should be vaccinated. The supply is already here. The only thing needed to be done is the implementation or to intensify our vaccination program),” NTF Against Covid-19 medical consultant Dr. Maria Paz Corrales said during an interview shortly after the arrival of a total of 866,970 Pfizer vaccine doses at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Thursday night.

With sufficient stocks of vaccines at hand, Corrales said the government is now doing everything to ensure that Filipinos get themselves vaccinated.

“Kaya all out ang mga advocacy programs, invitation, lahat po ng sector ay iniimbita at hinihikayat, ang ating mga kapwa Filipino na magpabakuna. Hindi na po problema ang supply(This is why advocacy programs, invitations are now all out. All sectors, all Filipinos are now being urged to get themselves vaccinated. Supply is no longer a problem,” she added.

Meanwhile, Corrales said all vaccine brands that are available in the country will be deployed for the proposed National Covid-19 Vaccination Days set for November 29 to December 1.

“Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, and Sputnik V, yung limang brands (all of the five brands),” she added.

Corrales also said the measure is a “whole-government-approach” initiative which means that other government agencies like the Department of Health, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police and the military will be involved.

Aside from government agencies, private organizations like religious groups, medical societies will also be participating in the event.

“We hope to reach 15 million Filipinos to be vaccinated for the three days, meaning to say the target is 5 million jabs per day (and) for three days, that’s a total of 15 million,” she added.

Corrales also hoped that everyone would participate in the vaccination program so that the country’s economic recovery could start.

The 866,970 Pfizer doses, which were transported by Air Hongkong Flight LD-456, arrived at around 8:30 p.m.

“On behalf of (NTF Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar) Secretary (Carlito) Galvez, we would like to thank the United States for facilitating the delivery of the Pfizer 866,000 doses,” Corrales said.

These Pfizer jabs, she added, will be used for the pediatric vaccination and will also be allotted for vaccination activities in the first quarter of 2022.

Meanwhile, US Embassy in Manila foreign service officer, John Avrett, said they laud Philippine efforts to vaccinate its people.

“In this case, we’re happy that they procured from the American pharmaceutical company. So thank you again and we applaud the Philippine efforts to vaccinate its people,” he added.