BOOSTER shots should now be in full swing.

This call was made by former Health Secretary and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin as she expressed dismay over the report on wasted of COVID-19 vaccines.

Garin lamented the slow implementation of vaccines, especially now that the positivity rate of COVID-19 is increasing.

She asked the authorities to explain why they are not allowing private groups or companies who purchased their own vaccines to administer them to their employees.

To date, only senior citizens, frontliners and immunocompromised patients are allowed to be given the second booster shot.

“June data shows that out of the 245,233,560 vaccines that the government procured, only 152,012,792 have been utilized. DOH admitted that around 27 million vaccines will expire this month.

This includes the ones procured by the private sector, the local government, as well as donations,” Garin said.

“Pinabili pa natin ang private sector pero pahirapan naman ang guidelines para magamit ang mga bakunang binili nila. We have more than 4 million doses of privately procured vaccines expiring.

Gustong gustong gamitin ng mga empleyado pero tila walang sense of urgency ang mga nag dedesisyon dito. Is this a matter of turf? Mas gusto ba nating illegal na nagpapabakuna ang mga tao?” she added.

In a span of two years, around 71.6 million Filipinos were vaccinated with the primary series and out of these only 15 million were given the third dose or the first booster.

“Many vaccines are expiring. Clamor to allow a second booster has been there for months. Pero tila, walang nakikinig. The new sub-omicron variants are hypercontagious, spreading like measles, with 1 patient infecting 18 others. Each of the 18 positive patients will have to infect 18 others. Imagine the multiplier effect,” she said.

The doctor-turned-politician warned that breakthrough infections were mushrooming right and left, with substantial numbers of moderate and severe cases.

“How do we fight? We increase our protection. No room for delay. We should have a sense of urgency. Been conveying this clamor more than a month ago, not only because we have approx 27-30M doses expiring at the end of the month, but more importantly because science has proven the benefit of two boosters among the 50yo and above and those with co-morbidities. What does not cause harm, should not be prohibited. Kailangan na ng karagdagan protection ng ating mga kababayan na araw araw ay sinusugal ang kanilang kaligtasan upang maitaguyod ang kanilang kabuhayan.

“The Public Private Partnership in the procurement of vaccines was a flawed one and i have been vocal about it, considering the waste of money of MSMEs and LGUs. But they bought because the government allowed them to do so and messaging was not clear that clear delays will happen and prioritization of vaccinees is beyond their control,” she stressed.