LGUs Urged: Prepare Plans For Walk-In Jabs

Malacañang urged local government units (LGUs) Saturday, Dec. 4, to come up with a system for walk-ins or those not pre-registered for the COVID-19 jab in the second round of the National Vaccination Days set on Dec. 15 to 17.

Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said there is still room for improvement of the “Bayanihan, Bakunahan,” which saw more than eight million Filipinos inoculated in the first round last Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

Nograles, also President Duterte’s acting spokesman, said the aim of improvement should be focused on accommodating walk-ins and educating the public about the efficacy of all brands of COVID-19 vaccines.

“Perhaps one of the things we can still improve on is the handling of walk-ins because each LGU has its walk-ins that we have to accommodate. Their effort would be wasted if they are already in the vaccination sites (and they are not vaccinated) so we should have a system for walk-ins,” Nograles told radio station dzBB in Filipino.

“Second, although these are isolated cases, some of our countrymen still have what we call brand preference so we have to repeat and remind everyone that there should be no brand preference. All our vaccines are safe and effective. Whatever is there, we have to avail of it and get ourselves vaccinated,” he said.

Nograles, who is also the pandemic task force spokesman, cited house-to-house vaccinations that target senior citizens and those with health risks as among the best practices of some local governments.

With regard to complaints that some vaccination centers closed early, he said inoculation sites operate for an average of 12 hours but those who are already queuing for the jabs should be served.

“As long as there are people who want to get vaccinated, we have to finish (administering of jabs). That’s also the directive of the President,” Nograles said. “If there are people who are queuing and are waiting, do not close the vaccination sites.”

He reiterated that workers should be excused from work on their vaccination day, citing a resolution of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging and Infectious Diseases (IATF) that took effect this month. For the second round of the mass vaccination drive, the three-day target would be calibrated depending on the supply of jabs and the goals set by local governments.

Nograles said the government has adopted a “first in, first out” scheme to ensure that the vaccines with earlier expiration dates are administered.

Expired

Quoting members of the government’s vaccine cluster and other experts, Nograles said some of the vaccines may still be used beyond their expiry date.

“The vaccine cluster is also evaluating the expiry date and we are coordinating with the manufacturer,” he said.

Asked if the government should be transparent about administering expired vaccines that may still be used, Nograles said the matter can be brought to the attention of the National Vaccination Operations Center.

Meanwhile, the government is conducting a fact-finding investigation of reports that some vaccines expired or were not received by LGUs.

Nograles echoed the suggestion of the country’s vaccine czar, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., that there should be guidelines on receiving donated pandemic shots, particularly those about to expire.

“While we are thankful to those who are donating, the reality on the ground is we also do not want too many supplies that are about to expire. The pressure will be on us. Many countries also need vaccines,” Nograles said.