The Department of Health should simplify the procedure for its second booster shot rollouts to ensure that a bigger segment of the population can be covered and no existing stocks in the country would be wasted.
This is because when the vaccination program was started in 2021, there were so many requirements imposed by local government units and private companies that participated in the vaccination roll-out.
One of them is to get pre-registered online for a possible schedule. This stage alone was very limiting since not all of the people are adept at using the internet (particularly the seniors and the PWDs) or the lack of connectivity disabled many people from registering for the program. Secondly, they should consult a doctor first to determine if they are fit enough for the jabs.
The most difficult stumbling block was the prioritization for vaccine administration such as A1 (for health frontliners), A2 senior citizens, A3immunocompromised, A4 (frontline personnel in essential sectors including uniformed personnel), A5(indigent population), B1 (teachers, social workers), B2 other government workers, B3 other essential workers, B4 socio-demographic groups significantly higher risk other than senior citizens and poor, B5 OFWs, B6 other remaining workforce, C rest of Filipino population.
This prioritization alone proved very tedious for those administering the vaccination programs and confusing especially for PWDs who had to be assisted by carers. The PWDs and seniors, on their schedule, would be given their shots but not their carers so this exposes those jabbed to potential infections.
Then there was lack of education and information programs, not just for the people themselves but for the barangays, who were thrust with the responsibility of looking for vaccine sites (in basketball courts, public schools or outside health centers and churches-- but churches got involved only after so many months). Even within the barangays, no one seemed to know or cared to disseminate the vaccination program to their constituents.
This is the reason for the slow progress in the administration of primary doses (as of April 1, only 65.992 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated with two primary doses) and only 12.07 million had first booster shots. The National COVID-19 dashboard said a total of 142.49 million doses with 71.241 million as first dose, or 79.15 percent of the government's target vaccinees for population protection.
Allow walk-ins this time
To simplify the process and ensure that most of the people will get booster shots, the government and its participating agencies and private sector partners should allow walk-ins to be given booster shots. No more pre-registration requirement and no more other documentation, said Rep. Angelica Natasha Co, BHW Partylist.
“Payagan ang walk-ins para less hassle sa mga magpapabakuna,” said Co as she expressed her support for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision authorizing a second booster dose for health care frontliners and vulnerable sectors because of age and personal health issues.
Co said allowing walk-ins at vax sites based on available booster shots can be done and the vax cards are “enough identification and proof of prior boosting.”
She also said vax venues should have ready kits containing medicines needed for any adverse effects or for relatives with COVID-19 symptoms.
“Incentives like groceries and hygiene kits should also be available at vax venues,” she said.
“Kasama dapat ang mga Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) at Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams(BHERTs) sa mga makakatanggap ng second booster shot,” said Co, a Member of the House Committee on Health.