No such thing as too prepared

It’s Love month in the Philippines and while other countries around the world have already begun rolling out their vaccination programs, we have yet to get started. It wasn’t so long ago that we were saying the year was just beginning, but now we’re really into 2021, and with the first month gone we have to start wondering when vaccine programs will get going and, more importantly, if we’re ready for such a massive rollout.

We’ve had time to prepare. No one can say that we were caught off guard. Since the pandemic hit last year, we’ve all been looking towards being able to buy a viable vaccine to inoculate the population. When news broke of working vaccines last year before the holidays, we had hoped that the government would already have a skeleton working plan in place so that when the vaccines became available it would literally be plug and play.

Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case. Since last year we’ve been going back and forth about which vaccine we were going to buy, how much money we need to borrow to buy them, how we would store them, and most importantly how to distribute them. It’s been something we’ve all been asking over the last two months and we’ve been hearing conflicting stories of how it’s going to go and who will get the first doses.

Each country has had to create its own vaccine hierarchy pyramid. While most opted to start with the most vulnerable and medical frontliners, other countries opted to start with the working folks to help jumpstart the economy. We may be one of the few countries that put uniformed personnel and their families high up on the priority list.

At the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter who will get the vaccines first, but that people get vaccinated. Some countries with strong and aggressive rollouts have already seen a decrease in hospitalizations, and with new strains popping up we have try to stay in front of things as much as possible.

This begs the question – after all this time, are we finally prepared? We are on the verge of rolling out the most ambitious countrywide vaccine program ever and the first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech is set to arrive this month. According to the government, the hope is to have 148 million doses injected into 70 percent of the population by year’s end in the hope of reaching workable herd immunity.

The government will not be the only one with working vaccination programs. Some big private sector companies are also planning to launch their own vaccine programs in collaboration with the government. They will be securing doses for their workforce while contributing to the government program supply as well. It’s important to note that no vaccines are authorized for retail, so until further notice, only government-approved facilities and programs can distribute the vaccine. Don’t be fooled by anyone trying to sell vaccination doses.

Throughout this, the President is trying to remain optimistic about vaccine rollout, but also spoke pragmatically so as not to raise expectations because so many variables could impact the overall vaccination program outcome. Still, while a little pragmatism is sound, as we all know the world can turn on a dime, we still need to have preparations in place. There’s no such thing as too prepared.

At this point, logistics should be ironed out, healthcare and public health workers should be trained and ready, and vaccine centers should be prepared for the influx of people, all while retaining rigid and high safety protocols – especially for the vulnerable and at-risk first round of injections. And of course, the storage and transport of vaccines has to be completely by the book. Any mistakes and the vaccine efficacy will be compromised.

In addition to the government and private sector’s plan, we all have to do our part too. Now is not the time to drop the ball and be careless when it comes to safety protocols. People have a history of tripping at the finish line and we have to be careful that doesn’t happen to us. We have to continue to practice all COVID-19 safety protocols and wait patiently for our turn. Even after being injected, protocols must be followed while herd immunity is still being achieved. Realistically, we know that we have to wear masks and social distance for at least another year (if not longer).

We can also attend vaccine information webinars and learn what we can. A large portion of the population in the country is scared – on the heels of the Dengvaxia mess who can blame them – and are hesitant to get vaccinated. Herd immunity only works if a large enough portion of people are inoculated so we need to be as educated as possible so that we can make informed decisions.

There are several online webinars and FGDs with hospitals and doctors to address the different vaccines, how they are made, side effects, and expected outcomes. This is an unprecedented time and should be treated as such so we all could stand to learn more about the vaccines before the official rollout. Do your research so you can make the best choices for yourself and those you love.

In the meantime, stay home, wash your hands, and wear a mask.