Over 20,000 COVID-19 doses wasted in Odette-hit areas — DOH exec

Around 21,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been reported as wasted in areas hit by Typhoon Odette, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

At the Laging Handa briefing, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said these were reported in Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and the Caraga Region.

“We have initially about 21,000 doses that have been officially reported as wastage. ‘Yung iba hindi pa nagsa-submit ng report (others have yet to submit their reports),” Cabotaje said.

Cabotaje said they may have the final report on the damage in the next two weeks.

“We are checking ‘yung Palawan kasi wala pang official report sa Palawan. The northern part of Palawan was affected but the southern part continues to do vaccination,” Cabotaje said.

Meanwhile, Cabotaje said all 23 local governments in Mimaropa have resumed their vaccination program against the illness.

Around 70% to 75% of the facilities in Central Visayas have also resumed vaccination.

“[S]a Caraga, Surigao del Norte, at Dinagat Island, including Siargao, and Surigao del Norte hindi pa 100%, pero ‘yung mga pwede na magbakuna, nag start na magbakuna,” she said.

(In Caraga, Surigao del Norte, and the Dinagat Islands, including Siargao, and Surigao del Norte, it’s not yet 100%, but those that can vaccinate have already resumed.) 

According to Cabotaje, around 210 million doses have arrived in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, 51.6 million have been fully vaccinated against the illness while 2.8 million individuals have received booster shots. The Philippines rolled out its vaccination program in March last year. — RSJ, GMA News