COVID vaccination resumes in CAR with new allocation of vaccines
By Carlito C. Dar
BAGUIO CITY, March 31(PIA) – – Rollout of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID – 19) vaccination and deployment program in Cordillera resumes as the Department of Health Center for Health Development -Cordillera delivered new doses of Sinovac vaccine to the implementing units in the different provinces in the region.
DOH – CAR Family Health Cluster unit head Dr. Anachris Kilakil shared that 21,600 new doses of Sinovac were delivered in the Cordillera last March 25 which shall be used for the first dose of the remaining Priority A1 eligible population of health care workers in essential frontline services.
Kilakil stressed that the implementing units must ensure that only the identified eligible population under Priority A1 will be vaccinated. If there will be excess doses, they can move to Priority A3 or the adults with controlled co – morbidity.
The Sinovac vaccine based on the FDA is not recommended for use to Priority A2, which are the senior citizen group.
Based on the DOH – CAR masterlist, there are a total of 40,546 eligible population under priority A1 in Cordillera, and as of March 27, some 19,385 health workers were already inoculated with their first dose during the initial vaccination rollout that started last March 5.
There are now a total of 40,900 doses of vaccines delivered in Cordillera of which 10,000 doses are Astra Zeneca and 30,900 doses are Sinovac. DOH – CAR allocated 11,335 doses to Baguio City; 6,175 to Abra; 4,350 to Apayao; 5,360 to Benguet; 3,800 to Ifugao; 4,530 to Kalinga and 4,430 to Mountain Province.
Those who had their first dose of Coronavac during the first tranche of vaccination are set to get their second dose starting April 5 as based on the National Vaccination Operations Center guidelines, the first and second dose of Sinovac must have an interval of 28 to 32 days.
Kilakil called on local implementing units and vaccinators to remind the people in their respective areas of responsibility that vaccination complements the prevent part of the PDITR (Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat and Reintegrate) strategy against COVID – 19, so it is important that people even if they already have the first dose of the vaccine, to continuously and strictly adhere to the minimum public health standards and also avoid the 3Cs or closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places and closed – contact settings. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)
