Vince Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the national task force against Covid–19
BALANGA CITY – The national government is targeting the inoculation against the coronavirus disease of one-half of the total population of the country. This, according to Secretary Vince Dizon, deputy chief implementer of the national task force against Covid–19.
“Mga 50 million people ang target natin this year na mabakunahan,” he said, as he noted the rise in Covid–19 cases in some parts of the country and what government is doing.
“Tuloy-tuloy lang ang ating mga interventions, preventions, pagte-testing, tracing, isolation at pagti–treat pero kasabay niyan ngayon mayroon tayong dagdag na proteksyon, yong pagbabakuna natin,” the secretary said during an interview here Monday.
Dizon said that cases on other variants of the virus are rising in Metro Manila so there is a need to strengthen the intervention. He urged people not to forget the usual safety protocols like washing of hands, wearing of face masks and physical distancing.
“Kailangan mas mabilis ma–rollout ang mga bakuna natin lalo na sa mga health care workers para kapag na-ospital ang mga positive sa Covid-19 ay protektado sila,” he stressed.
He could not give the number of those already vaccinated, saying the Department of Health will provide the update.
Dizon said more vaccines are coming, including Moderna vaccine that are expected to arrive in June this year.
As more vaccines arrive, he promised that Bataan would be given importance in vaccination being the major center of industries, power and port “para masiguro na tuloy-tuloy ang pag-andar ng ekonomiya.”
He gave tribute to healthcare workers and said supply of AstraZeneca vaccines should be reserved for the elderly in the sector.
“Kayo ang frontliner, kayo ang ating mga bayani at nararapat lamang na kayo ang unang-unang tatanggap ng bakuna kaya maraming-maraming salamat sa inyong sakripisyo at ito ay galing sa ating mahal ng Pangulo na lahat nang dumating regardless sa kung anong brand yan, lahat ng unang darating na bakuna sa Pilipinas ay para sa inyo,” Dizon said.
He asked DOH Region 3 director Cesar Cassion to reserve AstraZeneca for health workers in Bataan.
Dizon described the present mood of health workers with the start of vaccination as different from last year’s when the deadly virus started to engulf the country.
“Ngayong araw na ito ay iba na ang nakikita sa mga health workers. Nakangiti na sila at kitang-kita na imbes mukha ng takot ay mukha na ng pag-asa ang makikita sa kanila. Kaya napakalaki ng simbolo na sila ang unang-unang babakunahan ng mga unang bakuna na dumating nitong nakaraang mga araw,” the secretary enthused.
He said he was inoculated with Sinovac and there was no adverse effect on him, concluding it as a safe vaccine and so, urged everyone to take it.
Dizon was in Balanga City and witnessed the first inoculation with Sinovac vaccines of top officials of the Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center composed of BGHMC director Dr. Ria Baltazar, Dr. Luis Hizon, Dr. Verny James Bunagan, and Dr. Maria Ines Santos.
The secretary with Gov. Albert Garcia, Congressman Jose Enrique Garcia III and Mayors Francis Garcia of Balanga City and Gila Garcia of Dinalupihan also inspected the Bataan People’s Center that will serve as mass vaccination center of the province.
