Two legislators are asking why even after one year of the vaccine rollout logistical kinks persist and why there is yet no sign of local vaccine production, to ensure vaccine security for the country instead of depending on costly imported vaccines.
Senior Citizen partylist Rodolfo Ordanes is asking the government why after one year of vaccine rollout kinks like logistics persist.
In a statement, Ordanes said “we should have learned all the lessons by now about how to make the national vaccination program efficient.”
The Resbakuna sa Botika should be rolling out the booster shots faster. A month into the roll out, still onlya handful of drugstores have been authorized or accredited.
What exactly are the logistical and/or manpower issues hampering a faster roll out?
Private schools' clinics should be included in Resbakuna. They have health care personnel, facilities, and logistical means to vaccinate campus communities.
Private companies are supposed to also have onsite clinics and personnel.
Not enough malls are involved although these venues have the means to roll out and jab vaccines into the arms of people.
Importante ang vaccination for children kahit sa aming mga nakatatanda. Paano namin mayayakap at maipapasyal ang aming mga apo kung nangangamba kami na hindi pa sila bakunado, na kapag nahawa sila ay maaari silang magkasakit nang malubha dahil wala silang proteksyon laban sa COVID-19? (END)
SENIOR HOUSE MEMBER ASKS WHEN COMMERCIAL LOCAL PRODUCTION OF BOOSTER COULD HAPPEN
Another legislator, Rep. Juliette Uy of Misamis Oriental, 2nd district who is vice chair of the committee on appropriations of the house, urged that vaccine security must be made a May 2022 election issue.
The US now has two fully-approved vaccines against COVID-19. Moderna has just gotten full approval after the FDA there gave its nod to Pfizer's vaccine last August 2021.
When will FDA Philippines follow suit?
What is the status of applications for full approval? Where are the applications now? When can the country reasonably expect FDA Philippines’ action?
I ask the panels reviewing the applications to explain the process and give Filipinos a timeline.
Full approval of COVID vaccines and their local consequent commercial sale are key components of how our country will endure in the new normal and endemic phase of COVID.
Local vaccine production
Filipinos also need to know when local production of booster shots would be in our future.
All our essential vaccinesshould be locally manufactured--from the ones given to newborns to future vaccines for yet-to-emerge viruses, she said.
This is a policy stance I wish the presidential candidates would make part of their public health agenda.
This must be a presidential election issue.
Tags: #legislators, #vaccinesecurity, #logisticalkinks, #COVID19