CEBU City is running out of Pfizer vaccine supply with only 1,700 doses remaining as of Tuesday, May 25, 2021.
The remaining Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are expected to be all used up before the end of
the week.
Cebu City Health Department (CHD) officer-in-charge Jeffrey Ibones said there were 1,300 individuals scheduled to be inoculated with Pfizer vaccines on Wednesday, May 26.
With this, Ibones expects that the Pfizer vaccine distribution will only be until Thursday, May 27.
Ibones said he received no word yet from the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH 7) if there will be additional Pfizer vaccines for Cebu City.
He said the selection of those who will get the Pfizer vaccine jabs against Covid-19 is random.
While Pfizer vaccines are running out, the city’s allocation of AstraZeneca vaccines can still last until the first week of June.
As of May 25, Ibones said there were 15,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines remaining.
The vaccination site at the University of Cebu (UC) Senior High School Private Campus is intended for those receiving the Pfizer vaccines, but it may be used for AstraZeneca vaccine distribution in the meantime.
As of May 26, Ibones said, the vaccination site in UC Banilad is only accepting vaccinees set to receive their second dose, while Robinsons Galleria and SM Seaside City, as well as the UC Senior High School Private Campus, are accepting those who will have their first shot.
Around 142,000 individuals have now registered for Cebu City’s vaccination program.
Of the 142,000, 17,000 are under the Priority Code A4 or those considered as essential and economic workers.
Ibones said the City will accommodate those workers who are not residents of Cebu City but are working in the city.
The City is expected to start the inoculation of those who belong under Category A4 by June.
Meanwhile, the DOH 7 encouraged all eligible individuals to have themselves vaccinated against Covid-19 when it is their turn, assuring that all Covid-19 vaccines with Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are safe for use and effective.
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, DOH 7 spokesperson, said all vaccines currently given EUA worldwide, as stated and endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization, are safe for use.
Sought for comment, Loreche said circulating reports online that only those individuals vaccinated with specific vaccine brands can be allowed entry to some countries with a supposed vaccine preference for travelers are “a bit disturbing.”
“Currently, we are already faced with issues on supply and vaccine hesitancies. Thus, to have come up with such a statement at this time is not the wisest and most appropriate action,” she told SunStar Cebu in a text message.
International reports say Europe will reopen its borders to travelers inoculated with accepted vaccines.
European Commission spokesman Christian Wigand was quoted in a report as saying the European Council “now recommends that member states ease some restrictions, in particular for those vaccinated with an E.U.-authorized vaccine.”
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has authorized Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Johnson&Johnson (J&J) Janssen vaccines. However, it has not approved any vaccines from Russia or China yet, though it is looking at data for Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine.
The DOH said as of May 5, seven Covid-19 vaccines have been issued an EUA by the country’s FDA: Pfizer-BioNTech, Oxford AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Gamaleya Sputnik V, J&J’s Janssen, Bharat BioTech’s Covaxin and Moderna.
However, for now, Sinovac, AstraZeneca and Pfizer are the only vaccines available in the region.
As of May 18, Central Visayas had received 257,760 doses of Sinovac, 162,000 doses of AstraZeneca and 29,250 doses of Pfizer vaccine.
A total of 64,709 individuals in the region are fully vaccinated or have received the complete two doses required for vaccination.
They are composed of 54,802 healthcare workers, 7,954 senior citizens and 1,953 individuals with comorbidities. (JJL / WBS)