BY CHERYL LUIS
AFTER a year, COVID-19 seems to get worse. Many have fallen. Almost every day there are posts of obituaries from friends, colleagues and relatives.
My husband George Nava True II had fallen too. His vaccination was delayed that’s why he did not have the first layer of defense.
Most of us have many misconceptions and others claimed that vaccines can make you zombies, or you will be infected by COVID-19 easily.
COVID-19 vaccines are not experimental. They have been developed using science that has been around for decades. The extensive testing and monitoring show that the vaccines are safe and effective.
Prevents vaccination
Free COVID-19 vaccination was provided from our national, COVAX facility and local governments all over the Philippines. But some are still skeptical about getting vaccinated. The common reasons especially among the elderly population are the following: a perceived threat to self after the inoculation, religious belief, financial (fare cost) and distance of the barangay to the vaccination site, unstable health condition, and no family member to bring the elderly to the established vaccination site.
Also, there are two kinds of vaccines being downloaded in the municipal level. It is either from the COVAX facility or the government-procured vaccines.
Downloaded vaccines from the COVAX facility (Moderna and Pfizer) are strictly given to a specific priority group, the A1, A2 and A3 and A5, and there is a shortage of these vaccines. That’s why people that belong to the A4 category are not allocated.
On the other hand, the government-procured vaccines (Sinovac and AstraZeneca) are given to A1 – A5 categories. These people could only be deferring if they are hypertensive during the assessment before vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccines are essential
Getting the vaccine can keep you from getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Vaccines can help you keep getting seriously ill even if you get COVID-19. Also, it will protect people around you, most especially people at risk and who have severe illness.
According to the Santa Barbara Rural Health Unit (RHU) unit, the total target population given the first dose has so far reached 10,999 while the total number of the target population completely vaccinated are 5,037 as of Sept. 16, 2021.
“During these times, vaccination plays an important role. The COVID-19 vaccine could disarm severe complications and even death, but sad to say, many are still skeptical or hesitant,” said Dr. Zoe Sucaldito, Medical Officer IV in RHU Santa Barbara, Iloilo.
Dr. Sucaldito also added that convincing the public is very difficult. You would be facing conflicting norms, beliefs, and attitudes of the people. He needs to be a strategic thinker and an expert at the same time. Going to the community without a plan and knowledge of scientific facts is like a soldier going to the battle without a gun.
“People are scared, that’s why some are skeptical and hesitant. As an implementer of health programs, I would not only convince them but also empower them,” Dr/ Sucaldito added.
The Real heroes
Since Aug. 22, 2021, Dr. Sucaldito has led the municipal COVID-19 responses in Santa Barbara Iloilo. He reviewed the existing municipal issuances as to preparedness, mitigation, and response.
“To be honest, we at the Municipal Health Center is sobrang pagod na pagod na. Our primary function is prevention and health advocacy. Our mandate is the implementation of the pipelined National Health Programs and these different national health indicators do not end because of the pandemic,” Dr. Sucaldito added.
“I cannot imagine the sacrifices of all our local health staff doing daily general consultation, daily COVID-19 vaccination in the municipal vaccination site with the target of 250-300 per day, simultaneous roll out with barangay COVID-19 vaccination with a target of 400 per day. We also facilitate the admission of patients needing hospital care. Syempre indi pwede mag untat ang expanded program of immunization sa aton kabataan, and prenatal and post-natal care.”
“We also do specimen collection for suspected COVID-19 cases every day except Sunday and that explains our increased case detection. We have an isolation/quarantine facility with the help of designated quarantine personnel.”
“From the community back to the 24/7 birthing facility catering both COVID and non-COVID pregnant mothers about to deliver, daw hospital na kami. In Santa Barbara, even with the pandemic, functional pa gyapon ang Animal Bite Treatment Center and DOTS facility. We still do management of the community death and medicolegal cases. We juggle all these functions every day with only 57 health staff,” he explained.
With the advent of the pandemic, these local health workers are real heroes. But still, they do not complain; instead they do their job efficiently and adapt to any situation they may encounter.
Hospital access is difficult due to full hospital bed capacity. Emergency cases without COVID-19 are dying because they need negative swab test results before admittance, and we all know that emergency patient’s time is crucial. The fragmented health system or the lack of coordination is the main factor why we experience community deaths and some die while being transported in the ambulance service.
***
Cheryl Luis is the wife of George N. True II. Like her husband, she advocates health and lifestyle writing and vows to continue “Health Frontiers” as her husband’s legacy./PN
