by: SUSAN G. DE LEON
CALOOCAN CITY, (PIA) -- The ceremonial inoculation in Valenzuela City on Monday marked the country's 10 millionth jab against COVID-19 administered by the government in its bid to achieve herd immunity.
Members of the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) attended the momentous and historic event held at the Valenzuela Astrodome.
As the City Government of Valenzuela expressed its continuous commitment to achieve herd immunity as a national agenda, the NTF and IATF acknowledged the local government's accomplishments and efforts in inoculating its residents and other priority groups under its VCVax COVID-19 vaccine deployment plan.
“Gusto ko hong pasalamatan ang pamahalaang nasyonal sa patuloy na pag-akibat at paggabay sa Valenzuela City… Ang commitment namin sa inyo ang quota namin 467,000 na Valenzuelanos na mabakunahan... Hindi ho kami titigil para makasabay kami sa national na target na dapat by November, may herd immunity na dito sa Metro Manila,” Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian said. (I would like to thank the national government for its continuous support and guidance to Valenzuela City. Our commitment to you is our quota to inoculate 467,000 Valenzuelanos. We will not stop in order to be at par with the national target to achieve herd immunity in Metro Manila by November.)
According to the Department of Health (DOH), the national government has already given out a total of 10,065,414 doses as of Sunday, June 27. Of this number, 7,538,128 were first doses and 2,527,286 were second doses.
As for Valenzuela City’s vaccine utilization, IATF-EID Chairperson and DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III congratulated the local government unit for its support and commitment in efficiently managing the national government’s allocation of the COVID-19 vaccines to the city.
“I would like to congratulate the City of Valenzuela because when it comes to the vaccination... Meron na po silang 250,000 more or less doses that they have received and they have managed to jab with so much interest na maturukan po ang mga mamamayan dito... Kung ganito ng ganito ang ipapakita ng inyong pamunuan, tayo po ay makakasiguro na hindi magtatagal ay maabot po natin ang herd immunity by the end of the year,” Duque said. (They already have 250,000 more or less doses that they have received and they have managed to jab with so much interest to inoculate their citizens here. If this is the kind of example being exhibited by your leadership, it won't take us long, and we are sure to achieve herd immunity by the end of the year
Looking more hopeful into achieving a “merrier” Christmas this year, NTF Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said although the country’s vaccination rollout started slow due to vaccine availability, the vaccination progress is now picking up its phase.
“This July, we can easily vaccinate 6 million to 8 million [Filipinos]… Once naging steady ang supply natin, makakapag-vaccinate tayo ng even 10 million a month... We can raise the bar [to] 2 million per week, kaya po natin. Kasama po natin ang mga LGUs dito sa NCR, nakikita natin na maganda na ‘yung ating mga figures,” Galvez said. (We have the cooperation of our NCR LGUs on this, and we see promising figures.)
According to Galvez, the country reached its first 1 million COVID-19 vaccine mark in 40 days. Currently, the Philippines now averages to more or less 450,000 jabs a day with a cumulative average of 1.4 million this week.
“We have achieved a significant milestone though nakita natin ‘yung 10 million is still small as compared sa ating 70 million target. But we will make sure that population protection can be achieved in NCR before December comes,” Galvez said.
“Noong March to May, ang total nating nabakunahan [ay] limang milyon sa buong bansa. Tatlong buwan ‘yon... Hindi pa natatapos ang June… Naka-limang milyon na po tayo, isang buwan lang… Ngayon talagang parang karera na ito. It is a race. It is a race against the new variants that are coming out,” NTF Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer Secretary Vince Dizon said.
Dizon also praised Valenzuela City for consistently reaching its vaccination targets which contribute a lot to the national government’s target for vaccination.
“We want to congratulate Mayor Rex… I think five days in a row -- last week, kapag nakikita ko sa dashboard natin ang Valenzuela, all green five days in a row. Nami-meet ng Valenzuela ang kanyang target… So symbolic here in Valenzuela, our 10 millionth jab in Valenzuela today. Hoping for another 10 million in the coming weeks ahead,” Dizon said.
As of June 27, the City Government of Valenzuela administered a total of 169,058 doses of which 134,474 received their first dose and 34,583 were fully vaccinated or have received their second dose. With a clearer picture that the herd immunity target for Valenzuela City can be reached by November, Mayor Rex again extends the city’s helping hand to the national government as it will also be ready to open its vaccination logistics to southern Bulacan – with Valenzuela City Astrodome having the capacity to inoculate 2,500 individuals per day.
“Kapag natapos kami sa Valenzuela, ngayon pa man ready na kaming tumulong sa southern Bulacan... Kapag natapos na ang mga Valenzuelano, ‘yung set up namin hindi namin babaklasin para pwede niyo naman ipadala dito ‘yung ibang siyudad, yung ibang bayan sa Bulacan na maaaring walang kasing laking logistics katulad noong ni-launch natin dito,” Gatchalian added. (Whenever we finish our vaccination in Valenzuela, as of now, we are ready to assist southern Bulacan. When the Valenzuelanos are through, we can send our setup to other cities, other towns in Bulacan, that may not have the appropriate capacity and logistics.)
(PIA-NCR)
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