DOH to expand COVID-19 vaccination drive in pharmacies nationwide by mid-Feb

The Department of Health (DOH) said Saturday it is targeting to expand the “Resbakuna sa mga Botika” COVID-19 vaccination drive across the country come mid-February.

Interviewed on Dobol B TV, Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje, chairperson of the National Vaccination Operations Center, said from the the initial seven pharmacies in Metro Manila who participated in the initiative, the government is looking at expanding it further National Capital Region (NCR)-wide and to Regions 3 and 4A under the phase 2 of the program.

“Phase 3, [it will be] nationwide maybe in the second week of February,” Cabotaje said.

The government on Thursday rolled out COVID-19 booster vaccination in seven pharmacies in NCR.

The seven pharmacies and clinics in Metro Manila are the following:

• Mercury Drug on President Quirino Avenue, Malate, Manila
• Southstar Drug in Marikina
• Watsons in SM Supercenter Pasig
• Generika Drugstore in Signal 1, Taguig
• The Generics Pharmacy on Edison St. Sun Valley, Parañaque
• QualiMed Clinic on McKinley Road, Makati
• Healthway in Manila

Two days after the launch of the initiative, Cabotaje said a total of 1,860 individuals aged 18 years old and above were administered with booster shots.

Vaccination at pharmacies and clinics will be free for the entire week of the pilot run, she said.

The DOH official said the government is studying mechanisms as to how it can sustain the free vaccination at pharmacies and clinics for the entire year. One such possibility is charging it against Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

Apart from pharmacies and clinics, the government is also looking at utilizing transportation hubs such as ports, airports, bus terminals as vaccination sites. 

All the efforts in expanding vaccination sites are part of the target to fully vaccinate 90 million people by the second quarter of this year, according to Cabotaje. —KG, GMA News