By Lade Jean Kabagani | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – A total of 65,171,415 Filipinos already have the full primary series of COVID-19 jabs, including those who received the single-shot Janssen and Sputnik Light, the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 reported Tuesday (March 22).
NTF chief Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said in his “Talk to the People” presentation that 13 of the 17 regions have at least 70% vaccination coverage of the first dose while seven have fully vaccinated at least 73% of their target, led by the National Capital Region with 104.13%.
He said the government is preparing to conduct special vaccination drives at Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Soccksargen, which are at 26.35% and 56.72%, respectively, in terms of full vaccination.
The government is expanding coverage to job sites, terminals, convergence areas, churches, economic zones, village health centers, public and private clinics, as well as pharmacies and malls, to encourage more to get booster doses.
The pediatric age group five to 17 years old must likewise be given special attention in preparation for more schools implementing face-to-face classes, Galvez said
The rollout for aged zero to 4 is still under stringent observation.
Only 11.5 million of the fully vaccinated have so far received booster or additional doses, another reason to ramp up inoculation efforts, added Galvez.
“Following the directive of (Health) Secretary (Francisco) Duque, we will pursue the vaccination of at least 90 million of our citizens,” Galvez said. (PNA)
-ag
