Webinar #45 | “COVID-19 Vaccines: Naiinip Ka Na Ba?”
Channel: TVUP
Date: 2021-03-18

The University of the Philippines 
in partnership with UP Manila NIH National Telehealth Center  
and in cooperation with UP Philippine General Hospital 
would like to invite you to join the Fight Against COVID-19! 

Webinar #45 “COVID-19 Vaccines: Naiinip Ka Na Ba?”  
March 19, 2021 (Friday) 12nn 

Presenter: 
Dr. Enrique Tayag 
Epidemiologist and Public Health Expert 
Director IV, DOH-KMITS 

Reactors: 
Dr. Anna Ong Lim 
Member, DOH Technical Advisory Group 
Professor, UP College of Medicine

Dr. Glory V. Baltazar 
Director 
Bataan General Hospital and Medical Center 

Opening Remarks: 
Dr. Teodoro J. Herbosa 
Executive Vice President, University of the Philippines 
Special Adviser,National Task Force on COVID-19 

Closing Remarks: 
Dr. Charlotte Chiong 
Dean, College of Medicine 
University of the Philippines Manila

Webinar #45 “COVID-19 Vaccines: Naiinip Ka Na Ba?”  
 
Special Topic 
Exactly a year ago, numbers of cases of persons testing positive for SARSCov2 increased exponentially,  resulting in a series of non-pharmacologic interventions to stop the spread of the virus. These included  restriction of movement, closure of establishments where close contact among individuals was  unavoidable, curfews, social distancing in public places -- later on wearing of face coverings and masks  were mandated. Seniors were restricted from leaving their homes. Classes were suspended. Travel bans  were put in place. Thousands of Filipinos lost their work and were repatriated. This led to loss of jobs and  devastation to the national economy. 
The past year has been marked by tragedy, frustration, anxiety and mental suffering for many due to the  virus, and due to non-pharmacological interventions that had to be put in place to control transmission. 
It has been a challenging year, and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Finally, a pharmacological  solution: vaccines that were under development - are now available for us. There are more than 130  different vaccines that are being studied and it is certain that the technology for vaccine production will  improve in the coming months and years. 

Unfortunately, the Philippines, as a country that has not invested in vaccine manufacturing --- is part of the  majority of countries in the world that have to "wait for their turn" to buy /receive a sufficient number of  vaccines to prevent serious illness and death and slowly restore economic activity.
 
How many Filipinos can be expected to be vaccinated this year? What is the projected time of vaccination  for health workers and seniors. When will the general public start receiving vaccines? When will vaccines  become commercially available? What is the role of the local government unit? What is the role of the  private sector? 

What countries are into vaccine production and seem to be willing to collaborate with us to  get more vaccines in place at the earliest possible time? These and other questions about what would be  reasonable expectations for vaccine roll-out will be tackled in our Webinar entitled:  
COVID-19 Vaccines: Naiinip Ka Na Ba? 
Stay Safe. Stay Healthy. Stay Connected.  
Togetherwecan STOPCOVIDDEATHS!