Amid reports from the Department of Health (DOH) about depleting stocks of monovalent and bivalent COVID-19 vaccines, Senator Bong Go, chairperson of the Senate Health Committee, reiterated his support for efforts to timely and effectively assess the need to acquire more vaccines for the Philippine population.
During an interview after aiding fire victims in Quezon City, Go underscored the critical role of DOH in carefully evaluating the necessity for procuring additional kinds of COVID-19 vaccines.
“Nasa Department of Health naman po ‘yung pag-aaral kung kailangan pa nating bumili ng bivalent na mga bakuna,” the legislator said.
Expressing confidence in DOH’s assessments, the lawmaker assured that any decision to procure more vaccines would be based on science.
“Pinag-aaralan ng ating DOH kung kakailanganin pa natin ng dagdag na suplay at karapat-dapat pa ba itong mga bakunang ito.”
“Pinag-aaralan ng ating DOH kung kakailanganin pa natin ng dagdag na suplay at karapat-dapat pa ba itong mga bakunang ito na ayon po sa panahon ngayon para sa ating COVID response at recovery efforts,” the senator said.
Go affirmed his support for science-based decisions regarding vaccine procurement, particularly emphasizing the need to secure supply for the protection of medical frontliners.
“Based on good science naman po dapat ang pag-aaral… Kung kailangang bumili suportado ko po ito. Kung ano po ang makakabuti para maging protektado po ang kalusugan ng bawat Pilipino lalong-lalo na po ang mga medical frontliners natin na sila pong humaharap sa ospital na nakikipaglaban po dito sa COVID-19. Dapat po ay protektado sila,” he added.
DOH has resolved to cease the distribution of monovalent COVID-19 vaccines once the existing inventory is depleted.
Health Undersecretary Eric Tayag noted that the majority of local government areas have already exhausted their supplies of these vaccines.
Per the DOH’s stock records, fewer than 200,000 monovalent vaccines are left, and they are solely accessible in the CALABARZON area.
Meanwhile, Go stressed the need for continued vigilance in public health measures.
“Kahit lifted na po ang state of public health emergency, patuloy pa rin tayong maging maingat at observant para sa ating safety and health.”
“As your chairman on Committee on Health, kahit lifted na po ang state of public health emergency, patuloy pa rin tayong maging maingat at observant para sa ating safety and health,” he stressed.
Go also touched upon the topic of face masks, which are no longer mandatory but still highly recommended.
“Bagama’t hindi na po mandatory ang pagsusuot ng face mask, mas maigi pa ring magsuot tayo ng face mask dahil hindi natin alam kung sino po ang may dalang sakit… proteksyunan natin ang mga vulnerable sa sakit, maaaring mahawa si lolo at lola,” he reminded.
