With the cases of COVID-19 still coming in, providing the vaccines to those who need it is a race against time. For this reason, the government launched “Resbakuna sa Botika.” Here’s what you need to know about this program.
Resbakuna sa Botika is the government’s response to the lack of vaccinators due to the surges. Officials explained that due to the increase in COVID-19 cases, many vaccinators assigned to sites needed to return to the hospital. On top of that, many vaccinators also contracted COVID.
By tapping the support of pharmacies, the country can further accommodate those who have yet to receive their booster dose.
1. It’s Still Under The Local Government Unit
The pilot implementation of Resbakuna sa Botika started on January 20, 2022. And while private pharmacies are participating, officials emphasize that the Local Government Unit will still be the one overseeing the registration and documentation of the vaccines.
The pharmacies’ role focuses on administering life-saving shots.
2. The Program Only Administers Booster Doses
Resbakuna sa Botika only administers booster doses, not primary doses.
You can head over to the participating pharmacies if you’re 18 years old and above and have already received your primary dose at least 3 months ago (for 2-dose vaccines) and 2 months ago for the J&J vaccine.
However, the participating pharmacies will not administer the booster dose to people with comorbidities.
3. As Of January 2022, There Are 7 Participating Pharmacies
The following pharmacies are participated in the pilot implementation of the Resbakuna sa Bakuna drive:
- The Generics Pharmacy in Edison St. Sun Valley, Parañaque
- Southstar Drug in Marikina
- Healthway in Manila
- Mercury Drugstore in Pres. Quirino Ave., Malate, Manila
- Watsons in SM Supercenter Pasig
- Generika Drugstore in Signal 1, Taguig
- QualiMed Clinic in McKinley Road, Makati
If things go as planned, the pilot implementation should last for a week, then expanded to areas outside the National Capital Region.
4. You Need to Pre-Register; No Walk-Ins Yet
While the government approves walk-ins at other vaccination sites, Resbakuna sa Botika roll-out required pre-registration. This was to prevent crowding and to reduce the spread of the virus.
Additionally, registration is necessary because each pharmacy only received 500 vaccines in the week of the pilot implementation.
Please check the pharmacies’ social media accounts for details of registration. Generally, you need to bring your vaccination certificate, a valid ID, and pen. Also, make sure that you do not have symptoms of or exposure to COVID-19 in the past 7 days.
Mercury Drugstore has already provided its registration link. You can find it here.
5. Then, Pharmacies Can Only Administer Sinovac and AstraZeneca
Initially, participating pharmacies in Resbakuna sa Botika only provided Astrazeneca and Sinovac.
This was because these two vaccines do not require “special refrigeration.” They can be stored in domestic fridges, unlike Pfizer and Moderna.
It will help the pharmacies become familiar with the process of vaccination.
Officials hoped they can provide mRNA vaccines later on, after the 1st or 2nd phase of the drive.
Vaccination Status in the Philippines
As of this writing, the Philippines has already administered 121 million doses of vaccines, accounting for 51% of fully vaccinated individuals. Authorities hope Resbakuna sa Bakuna will further raise these numbers.
Key Takeaways
Starting January 2022, 7 pharmacies in the National Capital Region will initially participate in the Resbakuna sa Botika drive, which aims to make booster doses more accessible to those who need them. If things go as planned, the pilot implementation will run for a week, then quickly expanded to areas outside NCR.
Then, vaccinees needed to pre-register to avoid overcrowding and reduce the spread of the virus. After Phase 1 or 2 of the drive, the pharmacies might administer Moderna and Pfizer, which require more sensitive handling and special refrigeration.
More on Health News here.
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