DOH exec: No more disclosure of vaccine brand before inoculation

COVID-19 vaccine recipients will no longer be informed beforehand of the  brand of doses they will be receiving in order  to speed up the rollout and avoid overcrowding at vaccination sites, a health official said Wednesday.

Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said the strategy is expected to prevent a repeat of long queues for Pfizer vaccines at vaccination sites in Parañaque City and Manila earlier this week.

“Maybe one of the strategies that can be done is hindi na i-a-announce kung anong bakuna ang ibibigay" (vaccines' brand will not be announced), she said in a Laging Handa briefing.

Cabotaje said that those who will refuse vaccination because they prefer a different brand will have to go back to the tail of the line.

She pointed out that only the A1 or health workers who are vulnerable groups were granted the "right of first refusal" mainly because, at the start, Sinovac was not recommended for them.

“That has always been the principle. Ang binigyan lang natin ng right of first refusal, yung A1, ‘yung mga health workers kasi these are the vulnerable groups… also because of the fact that, at the beginning, ‘yung Sinovac was not recommended for health workers.”

“Other than that, there should be no right of refusal. Kung ano ‘yung vaccine, kunin mo" (you have to take whatever is available), she said.

Cabotaje also reminded the public to pre-register for vaccines and only show up at vaccination sites during their schedule.

Earlier, the health department’s Metro Manila director said long lines for Pfizer vaccines were caused by people who showed up without a schedule. 

As of May 18, the Philippines vaccinated 2.5 million individuals, which is still far from the government’s target of inoculating 50 to 70 million people this year. —LBG, GMA News