By Pearl Gumapos
The Philippines has administered 30,389,160 doses of COVID-19 vaccines as of Aug. 22.
“Umabot na tayo sa mahigit 30 million na nabakunahan ng first dose at mayroon na tayong 13 million na fully vaccinated na mga kababayan,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on Monday (Aug. 23) during a public briefing.
Some 17,258,675 first doses and 13,130,485 second doses have been administered.
The country achieved 120,143 daily jabs last Sunday (Aug. 22) and 278,327 jabs last Saturday (Aug. 21).
As for the National Capital Region (NCR), 75% of the eligible population have received their first dose and 43.5% have gotten their second dose.
The total doses administered in NCR is 11,613,157.
“Iyong target na 50%, bago mag-katapusan ay kakayanin nating matapos iyan…Ang populasyon natin sa Metro Manila ay 14 million. Ang eligible sa atin ay 70%, that’s about 9.8 million,” Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Benhur Abalos Jr. said during the briefing.
“Habang nagkaroon ng ECQ, tuloy-tuloy tayong nagbakuna. Iyong target na 4 million [doses na mababakuna sa NCR], halos nakamit na rin natin, kaunting diperensya lang,” he added.
Abalos also said two of the most vulnerable sectors in NCR are the senior citizens (A2) and persons with comorbidities (A3).
A total of 788,973 or 78% of senior citizens have been fully vaccinated, while 1,375,352 or 41% of persons with comorbidities have also been fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Abalos warned the public against using booster shots.
“Sa mga nakikinig, binabawalan ko kayo [na kung magpabakuna kayo ng third dose], ipapakulong namin kayo. Huwag kayong gagawa ng ganoon,” he said. -rir
