Misuse of doses to non-priority individuals may lead to termination of COVAX deal
(Eagle News) – The country’s task group on immunization against COVID-19 has issued its strict recommendation to give AstraZeneca doses to priority health care workers nationwide, and issued revised guidelines in the administration of vaccines.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced on Tuesday, March 9, the issuance of the revised guidelines contained in the resolution no. 5 of the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG).
In the resolution based on the meeting held last March 4 of the NITAG, it said that the “AstraZeneca vaccines shall only be provided to Priority A1 healthcare workers in frontline health facilities to avoid violations in the national government’s agreement with the COVAX facility.”
-GAVI conditions-
This is in view of the instructions from the World Health Organization (WHO) that the AstraZeneca vaccines (ChAdOx1-S [recombinant]) under the COVAX agreement shall be given to health workers.
“Any violations of the GAVI stipulations may affect future COVAX deliveries to the country,” it said.
GAVI is the vaccine alliance which is co-leading COVAX, along with WHO, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), alongside key delivery partner UNICEF.
GAVI has said that it “may suspend all or part of its funding or Approved Vaccine allocation to the country if it has reason to suspect that funds, equipment, supplies or Approved Vaccine have been misused or used for purpose other than for the program/s described in the Country’s Application, or any GAVI-approved amendment to the Application.”
It can also terminate its vaccine support to the country if misuse of the vaccine supplies sent through COVAX facility is confirmed.
-Order of prioritization for AstraZeneca-
According to NITAG’s Resolution No. 5, the AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX Facility shall be initially allocated in the following order of prioritization:
1. All healthcare workers in all Level 3 hospitals (including COVID referral hospitals) nationwide;
2. Other dedicated COVID-19 referral government hospitals in areas with no Level 3 hospitals;
3. Senior citizen healthcare workers in other hospitals nationwide not otherwise included above;
4. Remaining Priority A1 eligible recipients in NCR (Metro Manila), prioritizing senior healthcare workers as is consistent with the prioritization framework.
NITAG also said that “allocation recommendations for any excess doses should be used consistent with the approved prioritization framework of the COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Program.”
The vaccine advisory group also indicated the dosing interval for AstraZeneca vaccines.
The second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccines would be given four to 12 weeks (4-12 weeks) from the date of the first dose, NITAG said.
Vaccination sites should schedule second dose consistent with EUA (emergency use authorization) interval indications and inform their respective Regional Vaccine Operations centers and Centers for Health Development.
“Vaccine recipients who shall be refusing to get the AstraZeneca vaccines shall receive their vaccine after all priority groups have been vaccinated,” NITAG added.
So far, the COVAX Facility has already delivered 525,600 AstraZeneca doses. Malacanang said more shipments would be coming in the country.
The COVAX Facility has allocated 44 million vaccine doses to the Philippines, including AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and other vaccines approved by WHO. The vaccines are expected to arrive this year.
Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr said all COVID-19 vaccine doses from the COVAX facility must be given to the priority groups with the specified order so that so next COVAX vaccine deliveries would not be jeopardized.
“Giving the vaccines to other sectors when not all health care workers have been vaccinated will jeopardize succeeding deliveries from COVAX,” he said.
He said that all vaccines acquired thru the COVAX facility that will arrive this March would be strictly allocated to health care workers nationwide.
“Initial deliveries for April will also follow this allocation until we have completely inoculated nearly two million individuals under this sector,” Galvez said.
(Eagle News Service)