The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday clarified that only 9 percent of Covid-19 vaccine recipients have deferred their second dose, and not half of the 3.1 million who have received their first dose.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire issued the clarification after such data was presented during the agency’s Town Hall session on Covid-19 Vaccine Prioritization, Masterlisting, and Registration on Wednesday.
Vergeire said that the estimated data presented were “independent assessments” by health experts and may differ from “actual numbers” being seen on the ground.
“The reported missed schedules for 2nd dose are estimates and based on certain assumptions,” Vergeire clarified.
Vergeire cited that according to the National Covid-19 Vaccination Operations Center, actual numbers show that 9 percent of people have deferred their second dose, or roughly 113,000 individuals, and the most common reasons for such deferrals include getting sick, getting exposed to someone positive for Covid-19, or undergoing quarantine.
During the Town Hall meeting, Dr. John Wong, a member of the Inter-Agency Task Force’s sub-technical working group on data analytics, said, “half of the people who have taken their first dose are missing out on their second dose.”
Wong said that on March 1, about 3.1 million doses of the Sinovac and Gamaleya vaccines have been administered already.
Vergeire added that the percentage goes down as the local government units reach out to these vaccine recipients and eventually end up getting the second dose.
The DOH official, however noted, that these assessments from independent experts groups enable the government to triangulate and continuously validate data to further improve the overall implementation of the national vaccination program.
“What was presented was part of an independent assessment of the vaccine prioritization of the national Covid-19 vaccination program. It validated our prioritization criteria and showed that prioritizing the health care workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities will save lives as they are the most at risk for hospitalization and death caused by Covid-19,” Vergeire pointed out. 30
Following reports that there are vaccine recipients who have missed their schedules in getting their second dose, the DOH also reminded the public to complete their second dose of Covid-19 vaccines as scheduled.
Secretary Francisco T. Duque III reassured that those who missed their scheduled second dose can still get vaccinated and reminded the public to complete the required doses for full protection against Covid-19, to protect not only themselves but also their loved ones.
“For our kababayans who missed their scheduled second dose, huwag kayong mangamba at maaari pa rin kayong makakuha ng inyong ikalawang dose [don’t worry, you can still receive your second dose]. In fact, we urge you to coordinate with your LGUs to reschedule your vaccination. Makukuha lang natin ang proteksyon ng mga bakuna laban sa Covid-19 sa kumpletong doses [We can only get our full protection against Covid-19 if we get the complete doses],” Duque said.
Image courtesy of AP/Aaron Favila
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