DOH: COVID-19 vaccination to continue throughout Holy Week

The government’s COVID-19 vaccination drive will push through in several areas in the country during Holy Week, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday.

During a Laging Handa briefing, Health Undersecretary and National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) chairperson Dr. Myrna Cabotaje said that they have already given directives to the regional offices to continue the inoculation and open the government hospitals for the initiative.

“We will establish vaccination sites in churches. Pumayag na ang CBCP [Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines] na pwede silang magbakuna beside or sa mga parishes and churches. Pati sa ating mga places of worship na during the Ramadan, sa katabi ng mga mosque, para mabakunahan,” she said.

(The CBCP has already agreed that we can vaccinate beside or in parishes and churches. Places of worship during Ramadan or those next to mosques have also allowed the vaccination.)

National Task Force (NTF) against COVID-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. earlier said the Bangsamoro government is eyeing to use mosques as COVID-19 vaccination sites amid the low rate of immunization in the region.

Cabotaje also reiterated that despite the COVID-19 vaccination in the country being voluntary, places of worship, local governments, and private areas have the autonomy to prohibit unvaccinated individuals to enter their establishments.

The observance of the Holy Week has started on April 10, Palm Sunday, and will end on Easter Sunday, April 17.

Cabotaje further noted that there are 66.7 million Filipinos who are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Meanwhile, some 12.5 million have received their booster dose as of Tuesday, April 12.

The government is eyeing to fully vaccinate 90 million by the time President Rodrigo Duterte steps down from office. — BM, GMA News