HOUSE Assistant Majority Leader and Quezon City Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo on Friday urged the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to allow private subdivisions or villages to do their own vaccination for their residents.
“This will ease congestion in most vaccination centers in Quezon City and other parts of Metro Manila. We are happy that many citizens are willing to get vaccinated despite some unresolved post-vaccination issues, but this problem of congestion is turning them away. They fear they might get the virus in the centers,” Castelo said.
As of now, inoculation sites “are so overcrowded that if there is one asymptomatic person waiting to get his or her shot, he or she could become a super spreader,” Castelo said.
With approval and vaccine supply from the IATF, Castelo said homeowners’ associations are willing to undertake their own inoculation projects for their residents.
“I am sure that villages will not lack volunteer doctors, nurses and other health professionals who could help in the vaccination. They might even have excess volunteers who could assist adjoining villages,” Castelo added.
She pointed out that her proposal, if adopted, would speed up the government’s vaccination program “especially when enough vaccines are available.”
“At present, the program is moving at a snail’s pace. Even if there is sufficient vaccine supply, the government would not be able to attain its goal of inoculating at least 70 million Filipinos and achieving herd immunity this year,” she stressed.
Castelo said allowing villages to vaccinate their homeowners and household members would mean fewer people going to existing vaccination centers.
“We owe it to our people to improve this system, and one way is to allow private villages and businesses to vaccinate their homeowners and employees,” she added.
