The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) explained that the country cannot simply expedite the process of vaccination, citing the importance of monitoring the side effects of the vaccine for those who got the jab already.
“Hindi mo puwedeng itodo kasi mamaya, itodo mo tapos biglang magkaroon ng side effect. Papauwiin mo, eh, paano ‘yung ibang pasyente na kailangan ng services?” explained Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
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Duque furthered that the process of monitoring inoculated individuals isn’t as simple as getting the jab. He explained that, for instance, everyone who got inoculated are required to be monitored 30 minutes immediately after they take the jab to ensure no severe side effects would take place.
One bottleneck in the vaccination drive in the Philippines is that the inoculation process stops whenever the observation area reaches its maximum capacity.
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“Nabibilaukan sa dulo. Ito na nga umiikot ako para sabihan sila na kumuha, ang mga ospital maghanap ng mga malaking eskuwelahan o mga gymnasium para doon gawin ang mass post-vaccination observation activity,” explained Duque.
DOH is now in process of speaking to schools and other larger facilities to help provide spaces for their observation and vaccination drives to speed up its process.
