Garin urges gov't to use available COVID-19 vaccines as first dose to more recipients

Following the detection of the Brazil variant in the country, former Health Secretary and Iloilo Representative Janette Garin called on the Philippine government to use available COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate more individuals. 

The lawmaker underscored the importance of enhancing immunization coverage, saying that the allotted second doses must be utilized as first dose to additional recipients. 

"The incoming vaccines can cover the second dose. Each day of protection is a big step towards being ahead of the virus,” Garin said.

Garin said the second doses would come after 28 days for Sinovac and four to 12 weeks for AstraZeneca. 

"That's sufficient time to ship the 1.4 million doses of Sinovac. Sayang kasi panahon. Manufacturing facilities have increased their production capacity already. That means subsequent doses are assured," she said in a separate message.   

Over the weekend, the Department of Health confirmed that one case of COVID-19 had the P.1 variant, which was first detected in Brazil. This was detected in a sample taken from a returning overseas Filipino in Western Visayas.

The P.1 variant was first detected in Japan by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases among four travelers from Brazil. 

Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines are the ones being administered to health frontliners in the Philippines. They are the priority sector in the government's vaccination program. 

Garin further urged the DOH to widen the vaccination coverage and include the families of overseas Filipino workers as well as seafarers in the priority list of the inoculation program.

“We are seeing them as susceptibles and a factor in curtailing the spread of COVID-19,” Garin said. 

Garin also stressed the importance of ramping up mass testing, isolating individuals who will be tested positive as well as placing into quarantine the direct contacts of COVID-19 patients while awaiting results of their tests to avoid the spread of the infection. 

“Avoiding testing and hiding of positives will allow the virus to enjoy an environment where rapid spread and possible mutations can happen,” she said. 

So far, COVID-19 cases in the Philippines climbed to 621,498 as 4,899 new infections were recorded on Sunday. 

The total number of active cases is at 48,157. —KG, GMA News