DOH to simulate vaccination process in third week of January

The Department of Health (DOH) will conduct a simulation of the process involved in its vaccination plan against COVID-19, Secretary Francisco Duque III said Monday.

Duque told senators that the simulation will be held in Pasig in the third week of January and will not include the actual administration of a vaccine.

"As we have said, this is going to be an exercise in simulation, not necessarily giving the vaccine already. We will subject the process to a stress test," he said at a Senate hearing.

Duque 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 used.

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 this year.

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the vaccine rollout would start in February through the Covax, a globally-pooled vaccine procurement and distribution effort co-led by the World Health Organization, the Gavi vaccine alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. — DVM, GMA News