“We need to vaccinate more, not fewer, people.”
The deadly COVID-19 Delta variant has been detected in all Metro Manila cities. Hospitals are again filling up and even children are getting the virus as what the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) is experiencing. Again, the country’s capital region has been placed under the strictest form of quarantine, the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 20. There is no telling if this will be extended.
My house is quite a distance away from main roads and my environs are generally quiet, disturbed only when I play the music of my generation. I am fortunate to be greeted by the chirping of birds in the mornings while I enjoy my coffee. I cannot complain about my peaceful existence and I know that a lot of people out there are not as lucky.
However, since last week, my peace has been intermittently punctured by the sound of ambulance sirens rushing through the main road. It is disturbing knowing that the patients in these vehicles may have contracted COVID-19 or other life-threatening illnesses. I can only mutter to myself the wish that these patients will be accommodated by hospitals, get the treatment they need, and eventually get fully well to rejoin their families and friends.
My feelings are the same during the height of the pandemic last year – anxious not only for myself but my family, friends, and the country. As of this writing, reports have it that the Department of Health (DOH) has just placed eight (8) Metro Manila cities under Alert Level 4 over high numbers of COVID-19 cases and high hospital occupancy rate.
According to Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, alert level 4 means that an area has been classified as moderate to critical risk and has a healthcare utilization rate of higher than 70%. Under Alert Level 4 are: Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Pateros, Quezon City, Taguig, Malabon, Makati, and San Juan. Other areas in other regions of the country are also placed under the same alert level.
By now, we already know that the most vulnerable to the Delta variant are those who have yet to be vaccinated. Those who are fully vaccinated may still get the virus but they have protection against severe disease, and there is less need to be hospitalized. This applies to whatever vaccine brand was used.
I have fully vaccinated friends (and in some instances, including their family members) who were infected with COVID-19. However, their symptoms were mild to moderate and their doctors did not recommend hospitalization. They did home isolation and were managed there. By now, all of them are recovering and are almost fully well. We also encounter similar cases from other people. This is how I knew that vaccines work. Everyone must get vaccinated the soonest they can with whatever brand is available.
Data from herdimmunity.ph indicate that as of August 3, only 14.04 percent of the 70 million herd immunity target of the DOH has been fully vaccinated. We have enough vaccines to fully vaccinate just 20.25 million individuals or 28.94 percent of the 70 million target. Thus, we still need 71.06 percent doses of vaccines to achieve herd immunity. We have a long way to go in terms of the needed vaccines and the number of people to be vaccinated. No wonder the Delta variant is spreading fast.
Vaccine hesitancy is real. On social media alone, there are those who are calling to boycott the Chinese vaccine Sinovac. There is an ongoing debate about this. Of course, we have a right to choose the vaccine brand we want especially if this is an informed choice. If we are privileged to be able to stay home and still earn our living, we can wait for that vaccine. However, not many are in this situation. Millions of Filipinos will not eat if they do not go out to work. They need to get the vaccine for their own protection.
Vaccine hesitancy exists among those who do not believe they actually work, and among those who want to wait for their preferred brands. As responsible citizens, we can help address this problem by calmly and patiently explaining to people that the vaccine is what can keep them and their families alive.
Vaccine supply is another big problem as shown by herdimmunity.ph data. We also come across a lot of complaints from people saying that they have registered and been waiting for their appointments for a long time. Local government units have also criticized the national government for the very slow rollout of vaccines. No wonder, we see hundreds of people lining up in vaccination centers for many hours in case they get lucky to get the vaccine. This is unacceptable. Only the government can solve the supply problem and it should move the fastest it can.
The ECQ period should be used to vaccinate more people. However, DOH on August 5 suspended vaccination in hospitals and medical centers during ECQ. This could be on account of the high number of cases being attended to by our healthcare providers. All other vaccination sites are open. The DOH should see to it that the vaccination rollout is intensified and those scheduled to get their jab from hospitals and medical centers should be accommodated elsewhere. We need to vaccinate more, not fewer, people.
We do not have the luxury of time. Let us help each other keep sane and safe. We are all in this together.
Get. That. Vaccine. Soonest.
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