Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 19) — Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. is opposed to the reported suggestion of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to recall the vaccines sent to provinces with low COVID-19 cases so they can be diverted to areas with spikes in coronavirus infections.
Galvez on Friday said he will talk to Duque, warning there could be a case of “double handling” if the plan pushes through.
“Equitable ang ginawa nating allocation sa different hospitals…. Kakausapin namin si Secretary Duque na ang tinatawag na redeployment back to Manila medyo magkakaroon ng double handling,” he said in a media briefing.
[Translation: We distributed it to hospitals equally. We will talk to Sec. Duque that the redeployment back to Manila may encounter double handling.]
Duque was quoted in a news report that he is ordering the “withdrawal” of unused vaccines in the provinces so they can be used in Metro Manila, where there is an alarming spike of new coronavirus infections.
Galvez agreed that Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao Region need to be given more vaccines due to the increasing number of new COVID-19 cases in these regions.
But he said they can be allocated vaccines from supply set to arrive this month until April, including 1.4 million vaccines from China’s Sinovac and AstraZeneca shots that were ordered to be used strictly as first dose.
“Nakikita namin na may valid reason iyong mag-concentrate sa affected areas. Pwede po iyon, pwede gawin. Ang next deployment ng vaccines na darating ay iko-concentrate sa affected areas,” he said.
[Translation: We see that there is a valid reason to concentrate on the affected areas. We can do that. The next deployment of vaccines that will arrive will be sent to affected areas.]
Some 215,997 medical frontliners have been vaccinated so far. Galvez said all 1.7 million healthcare workers are expected to have gotten their shots by end of March or start of April once the vaccines from Sinovac and AstraZeneca reach the country
Next in the priority vaccination list are the indigent senior citizens.
