PFIZER JABS. Personnel from the Department of Health and Bureau of Customs prepare the boxes loaded with 994,500 Pfizer vaccine doses donated by the US government to the Philippines that arrived in Mactan-Cebu International Airport on Wednesday (Oct. 6, 2021). DOH-7 regional director Dr. Jaime Bernadas said the newly arrived vaccine doses will bolster inoculation of senior citizens and the most vulnerable sector in Central Visayas. (Screengrab from Radio Pilipinas Cebu video) CEBU CITY - Almost a million doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine donated by the United States government arrived in Cebu before dawn on Wednesday, the Department of Health (DOH) in Region 7 (Central Visayas) said. In a virtual presser, DOH-7 regional director Dr. Jaime Bernadas said the 994,500 doses of Pfizer vaccine arranged by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) will be used to bolster inoculation of senior citizens and the most vulnerable sector in the region. Bernadas underscored the need to ramp up vaccination efforts for the region's elderly population after seeing a dismal vaccination coverage of 37 percent. "Our gratitude to the national government, to President Rodrigo Duterte, and Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, his presidential assistant for the Visayas, and the US government through WHO (World Health Organization) for having donated the Pfizer vaccines for Region 7. This is the biggest single delivery of Pfizer in the region," he said. Michelle Lang-Alli, USAID-Philippines health director, who attended the virtual presser said the latest arrival of Pfizer vaccines in Central Visayas via Cebu was part of the 2.7 million doses that arrived in the Philippines over the weekend. She said the National Task Force against Covid-19 chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. and US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Heather Variava witnessed the arrival of the vaccines. "The 994,500 doses received today... completes the plan delivery of 5.7 million doses of Pfizer vaccines which have arrived in the Philippines in the past week that were provided by the US and the COVAX facility," Lang-Alli said. Lang-Alli cited the DOH-7's effort to upgrade the capacity of its cold chain facility to store the "largest shipment" of Pfizer vaccine doses from the US, while she assured more deliveries in the next few days. The USAID official said there were a total of 21.4 million vaccine doses delivered to the Philippines through the COVAX facility, including more than 9 million donated doses. "The latest vaccine (arrival) will protect at least 2.6 million Filipinos, including the Philippines most vulnerable sector," she added. In addition to vaccine deliveries, Lang-Alli said the US government has provided more than PHP1.9 billion to support the Philippine government's pandemic response, including vaccine delivery and rollout, training for the healthcare workers, strengthening the supply chain, sustaining the local businesses and providing necessary equipment to hospitals, including ventilators, intensive care unit (ICU) beds, and personal protective equipment. Challenge to dispose Bernadas challenged local officials in the region to do their part in disposing of the Pfizer jabs to avoid spoilage and wastage given the "very strict" cold storage requirement of this type of vaccine. "This is a huge task to do, the task at hand to immediately administer these doses to our target priorities in order to achieve more coverage, more specially to our senior citizens and the most vulnerable (sector of the) population," he said, adding the need to maximize the speedy administration of those jabs. Bernadas reminded local government units and authorized vaccination centers in the region to adhere to the prioritization policy "as stipulated in the donation." Lawyer Lessandro Maraon, Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visyas head executive assistant, said on behalf of Secretary Dino that LGUs and the media are critical in educating the populace to combat vaccine hesitancy and vaccine preference. "Hopefully, we will change a lot of mindset regarding the vaccine. Even with the supplies coming in, if the people would not be willing to receive the vaccine, it would be useless," Maraon said. Jabs for teachers, poll workers Although no guidelines yet covering political campaigning for the May 9, 2022 national and local elections, Bernadas cited the need to immediately accomplish inoculation for the teachers, as well as election officers and workers. The DOH-7, he said, is apprehensive with the upcoming elections which might become a critical period for the coronavirus when it would be difficult to avoid the people from moving around, especially the candidates who will be courting votes in different places. Because of the election, Bernadas said the DOH-7 is hoping to achieve 70 to 80 percent of population protection by the end of this year "to avoid more catastrophic effect(s) of Covid-19 during the campaign period." (PNA) }

Related Keywords

Philippines , United States , Visayas , Philippines General , Filipinos , Lessandro Maraon , Michelle Lang , Rodrigo Duterte , Heather Variava , Michael Lloyd Dino , Carlito Galvez Jr , Jaime Bernadas , Us Embassy , Pfizer , National Task , Department Of Health , World Health Organization , Us Agency For International Development , Central Visayas , International Development , President Rodrigo Duterte , Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino , National Task Force , Secretary Carlito Galvez , Daffaires Heather Variava , Presidential Assistant , Secretary Dino , Pfizer Jabs Personnel From The Department Of Health And Bureau Customs Prepare Boxes Loaded With 994 , 500 Pfizer Vaccine Doses Donated By The Us Government To Philippines That Arrived In Mactan Cebu International Airport On Wednesday Oct 6 , 021 Doh 7 Regional Director Dr Jaime Bernadas Said The Newly Arrived Vaccine Doses Will Bolster Inoculation Of Senior Citizens And Most Vulnerable Sector In Central Visayas Screengrab From Radio Pilipinas Cebu Video City Almosta Million Coronavirus Disease 2019 Covid 19 Donated By United States Government Before Dawn On Wednesday , He Department Of Health Doh In Region 7 Central Visayas Said Ina Virtual Presser , Oh 7 Regional Director Dr Jaime Bernadas Said The 994 , 500 Doses Of Pfizer Vaccine Arranged By The Us Agency For International Development Usaid Will Be Used To Bolster Inoculation Senior Citizens And Most Vulnerable Sector In Region Bernadas Underscored Need Ramp Up Vaccination Efforts 39s Elderly Population After Seeinga Dismal Coverage 37 Percent Quot Our Gratitude National Government , O President Rodrigo Duterte , Nd Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino , Is Presidential Assistant For The Visayas , Nd The Us Government Through Who World Health Organization For Having Donated Pfizer Vaccines Region 7 This Is Biggest Single Delivery Of In , Uot He Said Michelle Lang Alli , Said Philippines Health Director , Ho Attended The Virtual Presser Said Latest Arrival Of Pfizer Vaccines In Central Visayas Via Cebu Was Part 2 7 Million Doses That Arrived Philippines Over Weekend She National Task Force Against Covid 19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr And Us Embassy Charged 39 Affaires Heather Variava Witnessed Quot 994 , 500 Doses Received Today Completes The Plan Delivery Of 5 7 Million Pfizer Vaccines Which Have Arrived In Philippines Past Week That Were Provided By Us And Covax Facility , Uot Lang Alli Said Cited The Doh 7 39s Effort To Upgrade Capacity Of Its Cold Chain Facility Store Quot Largest Shipment Pfizer Vaccine Doses From Us , Hile She Assured More Deliveries In The Next Few Days Usaid Official Said There Werea Total Of 21 4 Million Vaccine Doses Delivered To Philippines Through Covax Facility , Ncluding More Than 9 Million Donated Doses Quot The Latest Vaccine Arrival Will Protect At Least 2 6 Filipinos , Ncluding The Philippines Most Vulnerable Sector , Uot She Added In Addition To Vaccine Deliveries , Ang Alli Said The Us Government Has Provided More Than Php1 9 Billion To Support Philippine 39s Pandemic Response , Ncluding Vaccine Delivery And Rollout , Raining For The Healthcare Workers , Trengthening The Supply Chain , Ustaining The Local Businesses And Providing Necessary Equipment To Hospitals , Including Ventilators , Ntensive Care Unit Icu Beds , Nd Personal Protective Equipment Challenge To Dispose Bernadas Challenged Local Officials In The Region Do Their Part Disposing Of Pfizer Jabs Avoid Spoilage And Wastage Given Quot Very Strict Cold Storage Requirement This Type Vaccine Isa Huge Task , He Task At Hand To Immediately Administer These Doses Our Target Priorities In Order Achieve More Coverage , Ore Specially To Our Senior Citizens And The Most Vulnerable Sector Of Population , Uot He Said , Dding The Need To Maximize Speedy Administration Of Those Jabs Bernadas Reminded Local Government Units And Authorized Vaccination Centers In Region Adhere Prioritization Policy Quot As Stipulated Donation Lawyer Lessandro Maraon , Ffice Of The Presidential Assistant For Visyas Head Executive , Aid On Behalf Of Secretary Dino That Lgus And The Media Are Critical In Educating Populace To Combat Vaccine Hesitancy Preference Quot Hopefully , E Will Changea Lot Of Mindset Regarding The Vaccine Even With Supplies Coming In , F The People Would Not Be Willing To Receive Vaccine , T Would Be Useless , Uot Maraon Said Jabs For Teachers , Oll Workers Although No Guidelines Yet Covering Political Campaigning For The May 9 , 022 National And Local Elections , Ernadas Cited The Need To Immediately Accomplish Inoculation For Teachers , S Well As Election Officers And Workers The Doh 7 , She Said , S Apprehensive With The Upcoming Elections Which Might Becomea Critical Period For Coronavirus When It Would Be Difficult To Avoid People From Moving Around , Specially The Candidates Who Will Be Courting Votes In Different Places Because Of Election , Ernadas Said The Doh 7 Is Hoping To Achieve 70 80 Percent Of Population Protection By End This Year Quot Avoid More Catastrophic Effects Covid 19 During Campaign Period Pna ,