LGUs urged: Allow walk-ins to receive COVID-19 vaccine

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Health in Central Visayas has urged local government units to allow walk-ins in vaccination sites to help with the quick substitution list and prevent wastage of vaccine.

DOH-7 regional director Jaime Berdanas issued the statement yesterday after at least 25 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were reportedly wasted because vaccinees did not show up on their schedule.

“We are also not discouraging walk-ins because those who can get into the vaccination areas should always be attended to [on] the day… those master listed may not be complete so that there would also be a quick substitution list in order for vaccination posts to accomplish their target for the day,” Bernadas said.

“The quick substitution list can either be from either group. But most … advisable na the same priority group,” he added.

Dr. Van Philip Baton, medical coordinator for emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases at DOH-7, said that that allowing walk-ins would prevent vaccine wastage especially for multi-dose vials, like AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech.

For AstraZeneca for example where one vial is good for 10 doses, if only three people will show up on schedule, seven doses will be wasted.

“So I think that’s highlighting the need to also accommodate them (walk-ins) kay for multiple dose vials, you cannot bring them back to the freezers for use the next day. They have to be consumed within a specific number of hours,” Baton said.

Baton reported that 45 doses had been wasted--15 doses of Sinovac and 30 doses of AstraZeneca—in Central Visayas.

“It is actually very low, but as mentioned by RD (regional director) and President Duterte, this (vaccine) is more precious than gold so you wouldn’t want any waste even if it’s one dose,” Baton said.

Bernadas encouraged the public to coordinate with their local health unit and keep updated with what vaccination post is serving what priority group for the day.

“But in the vaccination post, that would be the discretion ng ating mga team leaders to really maximize what is open for the day. Kay lisud man na nga na-open na siya unya maghuwat pa ka’g muabot gyud tong imung priorities,” he added.

Meanwhile, Cebu City Health officer-in-charge Jeffrey Ibones is appealing to residents to register online for the COVID-19 vaccination.

“Hangyoon gihapon nato ang atoang mga kaigsuonan natong Cebuano nga magpa-register jud sila sa atoang pabakunata.com para maihap sila sa allocation nga ihatag sa Department of Health,” said Ibones.

Currently, at least 230,000 have already registered online.

Ibones said more are still needed since the city’s target is to inoculate at least 700,000 individuals to achieve herd immunity.

So far, he said the city government inoculated at least 85,000 to 90,000 individuals or more than 10 or 12 percent of its target population.

Ibones said in their latest report, at least 70,000 got their first dose and at least 25,000 have been fully vaccinated.

He also asked those in the A4 category to be patient because the city has yet to start inoculating the said priority group.

“Pasensya lang gyud gamay nga wala pa gyud ta kasugod sa A4 tungod kay ang atoa man gud mga bakuna karon is limited pa gyud unya hinatag pud sa COVAX facilities mao nang strikto ta gamay. Pasensya na gyud ana, but if ever gyud muabot na ang mga bakuna nga daghan na, hopefully makasugod na ta sa A4 nga ubay-ubay nga gyud atong bakunahan,” said Ibones. — Loreine Kyra Lebumfacil, CNU Comm Intern, FPL (FREEMAN)