By: THIRD ANNE PERALTA-MALONZO, SunStar Manila
DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said on Monday, February 7, 2022, that making coronavirus disease (Covid-19) booster shots mandatory is not yet timely, as the primary series remains to be the government’s priority.
“Sa ngayon, hindi pa ‘yan napapanahon. Ang ating priority pa rin, yung pag-vaccinate ng primary series (It’s not yet timely. Our priority is still to give the primary series),” he said in a television interview.
“Kung hindi natin uunahin ang mga ito, yung bawat isang tinuturok nating mga booster ay kawalan ng opportunity para mabakunahan sa primary series (If we will not prioritize this, the dose we give as booster is a lost opportunity for those who have not yet received the primary series),” he added.
Earlier, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said the National Government should consider making booster shots a requirement for entry in business establishments, particularly in Metro Manila.
As of February 4, a total of 59,819,868 individuals have completed their Covid-19 vaccination with 60,659,350 have received first dose.
The Department of Health said 8,011,994 persons who have completed their inoculation already got their booster doses.
In Metro Manila, Año said 565,880 were still unvaccinated.
Meantime, Año said they have received the inventory of unvaccinated individuals from 12 out of the 17 regions in the country.
He said it will be used as the government’s guidance in deploying vaccine doses.
“Karamihan dito nasa lugar na malalayo, so ito rin ang magiging strategy natin kung paano mapaaabot ang bakuna rito (Majority of these are those from far-flung areas, so it will be part of our strategy on how to deliver the vaccines to these areas),” he said.
The DILG earlier instructed barangays to prepare a list of unvaccinated individuals in their areas of jurisdiction. (SunStar Philippines)
