Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 22) — The Department of Health said it will issue guidelines on the administration of COVID-19 shots for private companies who have purchased vaccines for their employees.
“They can have vaccination site in their own companies but they have to comply with certain requirements, meron kasing (there will be) appropriate set up for that.
They have to have vaccinators, they should have doctors needed for post-vaccination monitoring,” said Gloria Balboa, director of the DOH National Capital Region.
She added that the DOH will assist companies in complying with the setup requirements.
Quezon City Rep. Allan Reyes said the guidelines should be issued prior to the arrival of the vaccines so they can be ready.
“The private companies are just waiting for instructions on how to do it,” Reyes said.
President Duterte earlier directed vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. to fast-track arrangements that allow private firms to bring in COVID-19 vaccines amid a surge in infections.
Meanwhile, some lawmakers demanded an explanation from the DOH on why some cities receive more doses than the others.
Marikina City Rep. Stella Quimbo said the vaccine coverage rate for senior citizens in their city is way lower compared to others.
Quimbo stressed the goal must be to narrow vaccine disparity gaps to avoid the spread of infections to neighboring cities.
Balboa, however, argued the doses allocated per city are dependent on the eligible population submitted by local officials.
Government data showed over 1.5 million individuals have received a COVID-19 shot as of April 20.
In a briefing at the House of Representatives, lawmakers clarified how private companies will go about the immunization of their employees when their purchased doses arrive.
