DOH mulls 'house-to-house' COVID-19 vaccination for vulnerable sectors, high-risk senior citizens

The Department of Health (DOH) is considering conducting a "house-to-house" vaccination for vulnerable and high-risk senior citizens targeted to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

During the House Committee on Health inquiry into the government's COVID-19 vaccination program, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said a "house-to-house" vaccination is possible.

"Yung house to house, posibleng gagawin natin, kasama na sa pagpplano doon sa mga very, very vulnerable at high-risk senior citizens," he said.

Duque pointed out, however, that this plan is "more of an exception rather than the rule," since the original objective is for individuals to go to designated vaccination sites to receive the vaccines.

"Kinakailangan din natin bantayan yung post-immunization surveillance, monitoring and recording of adverse events following immunization," he said.

"Yan (house-to-house), titignan natin on a more focused basis yung sektor na baka mahirapan kung papupuntahin sila sa mga vaccine sites. We will bring the vaccines to them," he added.

Duque earlier said the government identified 4,512 fixed COVID-19 vaccination points across the country. He explained that the model will be similar to election poll sites and that existing medical centers and rural health facilities will be utilized.

Each site will have three vaccination teams. Each team will aim to administer the vaccine to 100 people per day.

Those to be vaccinated will have to register, receive pre-vaccination education and counseling, and undergo screening and medical history review before being inoculated.

Afterward, they will get an immunization card and be subject to post-vaccination monitoring and surveillance.

The Philippines targets to inoculate 50 to 70 million individuals within the year, and an estimated 50,000 is expected to be vaccinated in February.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. earlier said the vaccine manufactured by American corporation Pfizer could be the first that will be used against COVID-19 in the country, as the COVAX Facility will have an early rollout of the brand.  —KBK, GMA News