As the risk of the spread of new SARS-CoV-2 variants increases, Local Government Units (LGUs) must speed up the vaccination of priority groups, especially the senior citizens.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines and the National Commission of Senior Citizens issued this call today amid the continuing surge in cases in several regions in the Philippines.
As of 28 June 2021, 28.3% of the recorded 8.2 million senior citizens – the A2 priority group – have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Senior citizens are at highest risk of deaths due to COVID-19. In the Philippines, 7 out of 10 deaths are in patients 60 years old and above.
“Vaccines are an essential addition to our protective measures against COVID-19, especially with the risk of fast-spreading variants. We need to protect our senior citizens the soonest and with the highest coverage,” said Dr Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative to the Philippines.
“We strongly urge our LGUs to ramp up efforts to improve access of the elderly to vaccines, along with improving convenience at vaccination sites. Let us give our elderly the protection they need and the best quality of life they deserve without delay,” he added.
Focusing vaccination efforts on those at greatest risk of severe disease and death will have the biggest immediate impact on saving lives, especially amid limited global supply of vaccines.
"Our senior citizens are the ones most likely hospitalized due to COVID-19. If we don’t protect our elderly, we run the risk of overwhelming our hospitals and overburdening our health workers and frontliners. We would again require further lockdowns, which are detrimental to the economy,” Dr Abeyasinghe explained.
An overwhelmed health system can also lead to increased infections among healthcare workers and the inability to be responsive to severe COVID-19 cases and other health threats.
“Vaccine confidence and access go hand in hand in making sure our senior citizens are well-protected,” said Dr Beverly Ho, Director of Health Promotion Bureau and Disease Prevention and Control Bureau of the Department of Health. “We need all the help we can get in motivating our senior citizens to get their jab, and thereafter facilitate access for those who have decided they want it. Thus we laud our LGUs, and civil society partners who have ongoing efforts to specially reach out to our senior citizens.”
“We likewise encourage senior citizens or family members of senior citizens who have gotten their jabs to become influencers in their own communities since they are the most credible endorsers that can attest to the safety of the vaccines,” Dr Ho added.
"Senior citizens often feel they are running out of time, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made this even more pronounced,” said Atty Franklin Quijano, Chairperson and CEO of the National Commission of Senior Citizens. “We thank and commend the LGUs who are succeeding at vaccinating older people faster, such as bringing vaccines closer to seniors via mobile clinics or house-to-house visits. These laudable endeavours bring us one step closer to being with our families again. We hope to see more LGUs showing more compassion by prioritizing our elderly as we get more vaccine supply.”
Meanwhile, variants of concern (VOC) have continued to spread and pose challenges across the world. The fast-spreading Delta variant, identified so far in at least 85 countries, has stretched health workers and health systems in countries with community transmission.
Genomic biosurveillance in the Philippines has detected the Delta variant in 17 cases from May to June 2021. Community transmission has not yet been documented.
WHO emphasizes that vaccines remain effective against severe disease and deaths due to variants documented to date, including the Delta variant. A fast vaccination rollout and continued practice of public health and social measures, like mask-wearing and physical distancing, remain the most effective ways to reduce the spread of the disease.