Tuesday, June 22, 2021

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Health official admits delays in scheduling vaccinees

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 05:53 AM PDT

AN OFFICIAL from the Davao City Covid-19 Vaccination Program admitted they have problems notifying vaccinees on their schedule.

Covid-19 Vaccination Program head Dr. Josephine Villafuerte said in a radio interview on Tuesday morning, June 22, that they are encountering problems in the registration process.

"Ginahimo namo tanang pamaagi nga para unta dili maglisod atong vaccines ug para ma-inform sila. Ginahangyo lang namo is understanding kay sa vaccination, wala tay problema, apan sa pagrehistro nimo ug pagtawag sa imoha, medyo naa didto ang atong mga problema (We are doing all means to inform our vaccinees and avoid inconveniences. All we are asking for is their understanding. We have no problem in terms of the vaccination phase. We have, however, problems in the pre-registration and the notification process)," Villafuerte said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

The official admitted they have received complaints of some registrants who have not been notified on their schedule for vaccination for nearly a month.

She said this case is the same for those registered to their nearest health centers and via online through Safe Davao QR (DQR) Code.

The DQR system, as of now, has no confirmatory text feature indicating the date and time when the vaccinee will go to their vaccination venue.

"Naa mi mga encoder nga gina-filter nila tungod wala pa kapasikad ang system ron nga mu-notify sa ilaha og kanus-a (We have an encoder who will filter the registration details because our system, as of now, has no capacity to notify the registrants on their schedule)," Villafuerte said.

She added that the system developer is already addressing the problem and they wanted it to be functional as soon as possible.

Due to some limitations brought about by the Data Privacy Act, they segregate the list per district, and manually contact at least 600 registrants per day. This is the reason why it takes time for the vaccinees to receive their schedule via text.

To speed up the text notification, the vaccination head said a telecommunication company offered the city government to ramp up the "text blast."

Villafuerte reiterated that "walk-ins" are strictly prohibited in vaccination sites but they still cater to them under the "quick substitution list," whether they are registered or not. This would, however, depend on the number of vaccinees who will not show up on schedule.

This is to avoid vaccine wastage.

Individuals who wish to be listed under the substitution list must register to their nearest health center. She said they must be ready to be contacted.

If there are no quick substitutes, she said they will vaccinate anyone near the vaccination site.

Meanwhile, Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) head and DQR Implementation supervisor Lemuel Ortonio said they are finalizing incorporating confirmatory text messages for DQR registrants.

Ortonio clarified, however, that the text message will not yet include the schedule as this would still depend upon the vaccine supply.

"We had a meeting, and we were informed that this will be available by July," he said.

The vaccine cluster is tasked in the scheduling of the vaccinees.

Ortonio said he is aware that those who registered to the nearest health centers were vaccinated ahead compared to those pre-registered via DQR.

"It will depend asa sila na priority group. Could be nga pagpa-register nila, ang ilahang priority group is not part of the catered vaccination cluster," he said.

Currently, all Safe Davao QR (DQR) code users residing in Davao City can pre-register online.

DQR users can register online through SafeDavaoQR Mobile App Scanner or the website (profiles.safe-davao.com).

Registrants must click the "Covid-19 Vaccine Pre-Registration is now open for individuals" tab.

Then click "Register" and log in using the user's individual DQR code, registered mobile number, and birth date.

"Basaha pag maayo ang tanang impormasyon una mag tubag sa mga pangutana (Read carefully before answering the questions)," the DQR page said.

After filling out the online registration form, registrants are reminded to wait for the schedule of the priority group they belong. This will be notified through their respective district health office or through a DQR text message.

Ortonio said registrations at district health centers are still ongoing but he said they are planning to transition from "manual" registration to DQR.

"Ultimately, ang goal gyud nato is ang DQR gyud ang gamiton (our goal is that the registration will be totally done via DQR)," he said.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

DOH-Davao: No Gamma variant in Davao Oriental

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 05:52 AM PDT

THE Davao Oriental Provincial Task Force-Covid-19 clarified that there are no Covid-19 gamma variants or any other variants of concern detected in the province.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday afternoon, June 22, 2021, Davao Oriental Provincial Health Officer Dr. Reden Bersaldo said P.1 or the gamma variant, which was first reported in Brazil, has not been detected in any of the samples coming from the province.

The gamma variant is among the identified variants of concern by the Department of Health (DOH) and World Health Organization (WHO).

"Although there were variants which have been detected, these are from lineages of non-concern variants as per the guidelines of the Department of Health and World Health Organization," Bersaldo said.

Attached on the press release is the link of the letter coming from Department of Health-Davao Region (DOH-Davao) Director Annabelle Yumang.

Yumang said in a letter forwarded to Davao Oriental Governor Nelson Dayanghirang that her office had received media inquiries related to the press release issued by the Mati City Information Office (CIO) on Monday afternoon, June 21, that certain Covid-19 variants with confirmed cases in the province, particularly in Mati, have been identified.

Based on the data from the DOH, the variants of concern are the: United Kingdom or Alpha variant (B.1.1.7), South Africa or Beta variant (B.1.351), Brazilian or Gamma variant (P.1), and India or Delta variant (B.1.617.2), while the variant of interest is Theta P.3 -- all of which are not present in the province of Davao Oriental.

"The reported variants are not identified as a variant of concern because current data are insufficient to determine whether the variant will require more appropriate and specific health action," Yumang said in the letter.

Bersaldo said that while the Provincial Government allays the public's fear from the presence of new Covid-19 variants, he said same health protocols will be followed regardless of the variant.

"Whatever our variants may be, our approach remains the same in controlling Covid-19 but as per detection of these Brazilian variants, that is not true," he said.

The health official added that all cases, regardless of their sequencing results, have to complete the prescribed days of isolation while the close contacts must complete the 14-day quarantine regardless of the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) result.

He also said the protocols for the surveillance unit will still remain the same, including verifying the location of cases, conducting a case investigation, submission of a narrative report, sending specimen samples especially from areas with a spike of cases, and presence of clustering from contracts of arriving passengers from abroad.

On Monday, the City Government of Mati reported that nine samples of confirmed Covid-19 patients from Mati City, Davao Oriental have been identified to have the more virulent lineage of B.1.1.28 variant (Gamma).

The city said 991 samples from the province were submitted to the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) on June 10 for genomic sequencing.

The result showed that samples from Davao Oriental have nine with the B.1.1.28 variant of the Sars-CoV-2, the virus causing the Covid-19. One has the B.1 variant, another one has the B.1.78, and another has the A.4 variant while the results of 69 samples are still pending.

Mati Incident Management Team (IMT) commander Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan Jr. said that though the presence of the more virulent variant has not yet been confirmed, he suspects that new variants of Covid-19 could be the reason why there is a surge on the number of cases this month as well as an increase on the number of fatalities resulting to surge in hospitals and health facilities.

"Mabilis ang spread (It has been spreading fast) and more are exhibiting severe symptoms. These are traits of new variants. Public has the right to be warned so they can protect themselves. Masks and avoidance of crowds are effective in protecting them against Covid-19 and its variants," Catbagan said in a press release on Tuesday afternoon, June 22.

Clustering in hospitals, health facilities, workplaces and family gatherings have been observed, according to the Mati IMT.

The Surge Capacity Management has been activated by the City Government weeks ago, starting with the expansion of surge facilities and testing capacity supported by advocacy on strict adherence to health protocols and strengthening the vaccination campaign.

"So far, the public has not panicked from the story. There is however more compliance with the health protocols and some are now signing up for vaccination," the city said in a statement on Tuesday, June 22.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

130,000 Dabawenyos vaccinated

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 05:52 AM PDT

AROUND 130,000 Dabawenyos or 10 percent of Davao City's 1.2 million target were already vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine.

According to the Davao City Vaccination Cluster as of June 20, a total of 138,660 first doses were allocated. Based on the breakdown, 34,063 were part of the Priority A1 group (healthcare workers), 63,374 for A2 (senior citizens), and 41,223 for A3 (persons with comorbidities).

A total of 34,990 were inoculated for the second doses, wherein 23,235 for A1, 9,762 (A2), and 1,993 (A3).

Covid-19 Vaccination Program head Dr. Josephine Villafuerte said in a radio interview that they are hoping to reach the targeted herd immunity before the end of the year.

"Hinaot unta magpadayon sila og respond sa atong vaccination para pag-abot nato'g October-November, maabot na nato atong herd immunity (We are hoping the public would continue to respond to our vaccine rollout so that we will be able to achieve herd immunity by October and November this year)," Villafuerte said on Tuesday morning, June 22, in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a previous report that the city is targeting to vaccinate 10,000 individuals per day in order to reach herd immunity by November this year.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), herd immunity is the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through previous infection.

As of June 21, the city has identified the following areas as operational vaccination sites: Buhangin Central Elementary School, Mintal Central Elementary School, Matina Aplaya Elementary School, Magallanes Elementary School, F. Dizon Elementary School, Davao City National High School, A. Mabini Elementary School, Calinan Central Elementary School, Malagos Elementary School, Kor-Phil Vocational Training Center, Microtel Inn Damosa, Gaisano Mall Toril, Gaisano Mall Bajada, SM City Ecoland, and SM Lanang.

Villafuerte said vaccinees should wait to be contacted by their respective districts for their schedule, as walk-ins are highly discouraged to avoid crowding and prolonged waiting hours.

Since the vaccine rollout started for A2 and A3, she said vaccination sites never ran out of vaccinees willing to be immunized.

She said vaccination sites cater a minimum of 500 vaccinees per hub per day.

Villafuerte said all vaccination sites in the city have been allocated with the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

However, the Pfizer vaccines that were allocated by the Covax facility from WHO will strictly be allocated to A1, A2, and A3 groups.

She said they were able to inoculate 27,000 doses of the vaccine in two days.

Meanwhile, Villafuerte said the city is set to receive more doses of vaccine in the coming days.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Covid-19 test labs in Davao City urged to submit reports on time

Posted: 22 Jun 2021 05:51 AM PDT

COVID-19 testing laboratories in Davao Region are advised to submit real-time specimens after some facilities were reportedly not submitting on time.

"For the late reporting, there are some clamors saying that sometimes hindi nagsa-submit 'yung mga facilities natin (Some facilities do not submit their test results on time). However, we really address this one already," Dr. Rachel Joy Pasion, Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit Head of the Department of Health-Davao Region (DOH-Davao), said in a virtual presser on Monday, June 21.

Pasion said they already issued an advisory to address this problem.

"We have already provided an advisory to our testing facilities so that hindi nila ikukumpol ng isahan lang na pag-submit at dapat naka-fluid ang numbers natin and then real time dapat na maibigay nila ang mga test results in Davao Region (there won't be an accumulation of reports because the numbers should be fluid and test results in Davao Region must be submitted real-time)," she said.

The health official said the data management team wants to "capture as much as possible" the real picture of Covid-19 transmission in the region.

Pasion said testing facilities are mandated to submit their test results on or before 3 p.m., the cut-off time for the collation of the DOH bulletin.

Currently, the region has a total of 11 testing facilities that can cater to a total of 4,251 specimens per day if running daily, while government-owned testing laboratories cater to a total of 1,751 specimens per day.

Davao Region recorded its highest daily new cases on 725 on June 16, according to the DOH-Davao data. Out of the total cases, 397 were from Davao City, while 125 from Davao Oriental, 120 from Davao del Norte, 41 from Davao de Oro, 30 from Davao Occidental, and 12 from Davao del Sur.

DOH-Davao did not elaborate during the presser if the 725 recorded cases were all fresh cases or late cases.

But Davao City Health Office Acting Head Dr. Ashley Lopez said in a recent radio interview that the 397 recorded cases in the city were accumulated test results from June 10 to 15.

Lopez also said this was also the same case when the region recorded its then record-breaking 448 single day Covid-19 cases wherein Davao City contributed the bulk of the cases with 338.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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