The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will give the Philippines an additional $3.5 million to support the rollout of vaccines obtained from the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Initiative (COVAX) facility.
The fund will be used to strengthen supply chains; plan, track and deliver vaccines; and help government disseminate essential public health messaging about the vaccines.
USAID said it will also be collaborating with the private sector to create a better environment for business.
To help LGUs manage the data processing of their vaccination efforts, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DITC) partnered with San Juan City to pilot test the DICT Vaccine Administration System (D-VAS).
The DICT also gave digitalization tools and Wi-Fi connection to Bakuna Centers in San Juan, as well as personnel training to address technical issues and downtime. As a result, average vaccination time per person was cut from 20 minutes to just 10.
The Department of Health (DOH) mentioned that medical clearance is not required for those getting vaccination against COVID. “Medical clearance is not required, except for immune-compromised individuals such as those with autoimmune disease, HIV, cancer patients currently undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, transplant patients, those undergoing steroid treatment, and patients who are bedridden or with a poor prognosis,”
DOH noted that only individuals experiencing a blood pressure of 180/120 or higher with signs and symptoms of organ damage during the screening process cannot be vaccinated.
With additional reports: The Philippine Star, Pia Lee-Brago, Rainier Allan Ronda, Mayen Jaymalin, Janvic Mateo, Emmanuel Tupas, Cecille Suerte Felipe
Photo Sources: pia.gov.ph, cnnph.com, itservicesreport.com
