DOH: Mini-surge possible in BARMM due to low vaccination rate

There is a possibility of a mini-surge in COVID-19 cases in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region as only 32.28% of its residents have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease, a health official said on Wednesday.

At a Laging Handa briefing, Health Undersecretary and National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) chairperson Dr. Myrna Cabotaje said the government was looking to increase the vaccination rate in the region to 50-60%.

“There is always that possibility of a mini surge kasi alam naman natin na importante ang pagbabakuna (we know that vaccination is important),” Cabotaje said.

Aside from the DOH, the World Health Organization (WHO) also earlier warned of a potential “mini surge” of COVID-19 cases in the region due to the celebration of Ramadan.

The DOH earlier said that some of the challenges in the vaccination rollout in the region were  the vaccine hesitancy or preference, limited manpower, fake news, late submission of daily vaccination reports, and lukewarm support from local chief executives and barangay local government units.

2nd COVID-19 booster shot

Cabotaje said the Philippines would have adequate vaccine supplies despite the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) already approving the fourth COVID-19 dose or second booster shot for the senior citizens, the immunocompromised, and frontline health frontliners.

“Marami pa tayong (we still have many doses of) AstraZeneca, Sinovac and we will have Pfizer, and Moderna, and a few other donations. Kailangan lang talagang ibakuna ‘yung ating mga existing vaccine supplies (we just really need to administer our existing vaccine supplies),” she said.

The Health department said the second booster dose will be given at least four months after the administration of the first booster, with the FDA recognizing waning immunity in the specific populations.  —NB, GMA News