By Alec Go
The country would need to double its efforts to reach its daily million vaccination target and the goal to fully vaccinate 50% of the target population by December, the country’s vaccine operations chief said.
National Vaccination Operation Center (NVOC) chairperson Myrna Cabotaje said in the Nov. 2 Laging Handa briefing that the country had an average vaccination rate of around 500,000 daily in the past week.
The health undersecretary said they want to increase the weekly 3.5 million jab rate to 5 million with around a million vaccines administered per day.
“We need to work double time, kaya kailangan natin all hands-on deck, kailangan tulong-tulong tayong lahat para ma-meet iyong 1 million. Nasa 500 [thousand], ibig sabihin magdo-double efforts tayo, kasama na iyong pagbakuna noong mga pediatric age groups,” she said.
The official said there was a slowdown during the holiday break in terms of vaccination as some workers were on leave.
As of Oct. 31, a total of 53,316,764 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered nationwide, including 31,955,891 first doses and 27,360,873 second doses.
More than 106.21 million vaccines have been delivered to the country, and around 86.48 million doses have been deployed.
Based on NVOC data, the National Capital Region (NCR) has the highest COVID-19 vaccination coverage among all regions, with 87.78% of its target population considered fully vaccinated.
“Hopefully, November [to] December makakamit na natin iyong napakataas – almost 100% na target ay ma-achieve dito sa NCR, especially with the children, kasi, kasama na iyong mga bata,” Cabotaje said.
“For the rest of the country we are looking at the first quarter of next year para ma-fully vaccinate iyong rest of the population all over the Philippines,” she added.
Booster shots
Cabotaje said they are just waiting for an emergency use authorization (EUA) and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommendation to push through with the planned booster shot administration to priority sectors.
Authorities are also organizing the numbers of beneficiaries which might include those with comorbidities.
Zambo fire
Meanwhile, the national government has ordered an investigation on the reported vaccine wastage in Zamboanga del Sur after a fire hit a provincial government building over the weekend.
COVID-19 response officials said in a statement that they would replenish and immediately ship vaccines for the second dose coverage and minor’s vaccination in the area.
A show cause order is set to be issued to the provincial government due to late delivery of the vaccines. -rir
