Davao City Council has passed on first reading a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Immunization Ordinance in preparation for the approval of a potential vaccine.

Committee on Health chairperson Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte said the ordinance prepares the city government to purchase, store, and administer any COVID-19 vaccine to be approved soon by the national government.

“Sa karon wala pa man na approve na vaccine sa Pilipinas pero nakit-an nato, gina-monitor nato ang laing nasud. Other countries are already doing vaccination sa ilahang katawhan (Right now there is no approved vaccine in the Philippines yet but we saw from other countries that they are already doing vaccination to their people),” Villafuerte said in a Davao City Disaster Radio broadcast on Wednesday.

With the national government expediting the process to make the COVID-19 vaccines available in the country, Villafuerte said the local government units must prepare for the arrival of the vaccines.

Although the national government has yet approved a vaccine, Villafuerte said an ordinance is necessary to identify vaccination phases, if any, prepare a budget for purchasing the vaccine, as well as for storage facilities and training of health workers, if necessary.

“Sa pagcheck nako ganina buntag, ang Pfizer pa lang ang nag apply for emergency use authorization, so basin ang Phyzer ang mauna (When I checked this morning, only Pfizer applied for emergency use authorization, so maybe Pfizer will be the first),” she said. 

She continued: “These are only part of the things we have to prepare for, so we need an ordinance. So when we pass a law, naa gyud nay budget (there really is a budget). So mag allocate ta og budget (So we will allocate a budget) for this very, very important vaccine against COVID-19.”

Villafuerte also said a task force or a committee will be created to monitor, report, validate, and do any act to ensure the equitable administration of the vaccine, as well as to ensure its safety.

“Daghan man gud uban they are really scared of this vaccine (There are many people who are scared of this vaccine), but I think if the government becomes transparent, and we will use the vaccine with the highest efficacy and safety, then we will put our people at ease,” she said.

(Source: PCOO – Davao)

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