Philippines recalls COVID-19 vaccines sent to provinces for more jabs in NCR

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday recalled COVID-19 vaccines already sent to the provinces with low cases to vaccinate more health workers and frontliners in the National Capital Region.

“‘Yung mga hindi pa nagagamit sa ibang regions, padala na, bawiin, dalhin lahat sa Metro Manila,” Duque said in Maki Pulido’s report on “24 Oras.”

[Vaccines that are not yet used in other regions should be delivered, recalled, and brought to Metro Manila.]

“Mag antay-antay lang today or tomorrow, magre-redeployment tayo,” Duque said.

[Wait today or tomorrow, we will conduct a re-deployment.]

Half of the country’s 57,746 active COVID-19 cases are in Metro Manila, the epicenter of COVID-19 in the country.

?However, only 278,870 doses or around 25 percent of the country’s vaccine supply was allocated for Metro Manila.

According to Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro, the allocation of vaccines in the city has been depleted but healthcare workers in small hospitals and cities have yet to be vaccinated.

He said other frontliners such as barangay health emergency response teams, barangay health center workers, contact tracers, and personnel at quarantine facilities were not yet vaccinated.

Teodoro said the city needed 7,800 doses. They were only given 2,940.

Makati City also expressed concern over its frontliners who did not receive the vaccine.

“Unfortunately nga ho, marami nga ho sa kanila nagkakaroon na rin ho ng COVID. Dapat ho nagkaroon na rin ho sila,” Makati City spokesperson Atty. Arthur Michael Camiña said.

[Unfortunately, many of them are testing positive for COVID-19. They should already be vaccinated.]

An expert from OCTA Research group earlier recommended to the national government to prioritize the vaccination rollout in the National Capital Region.
 -Joahna Lei Casilao/NB, GMA News