Around 25,000 vaccinators under training as COVID-19 vaccination nears —Galvez

Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday said that more or less 25,000 people are undergoing training to administer COVID-19 vaccines to Filipinos as the start of inoculation in the country nears.

Galvez added that local government units (LGUs) especially in the National Capital Region (NCR) are already consolidating the lists of those who will participate in the vaccination.

“We are training more or less 25,000 vaccinators,” he said in an interview on ANC.

“'Yung ating mga LGUs lalo na dito sa NCR nagko-consolidate na sila ng mga master list ng mga magpa-participate sa nationwide vaccination,” he added.

The Philippine government targets to vaccinate some 50 to 70 million Filipinos against COVID-19 this year.

According to Galvez, at least 50,000 Filipinos

He said this vaccination will serve as a rehearsal for the national rollout of inoculation.

“Magkakaroon tayo ng national rollout. So ito 'yung tinatawag natin na rehearsal para matuto 'yung ating mga vaccinator at para makita natin 'yung assimilations kung paano natin gagawin ang nationwide rollout,” he added.

Galvez said the vaccinators already attended lectures about the vaccination and this “rehearsal” will serve as their “practical exercise.”

After the 50,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines arrive in the Philippines in February, more will be delivered in the succeeding months, Galvez said.

“So 'yung pagbibigay ng Sinovac, we will have 50,000 for February, 950,000 for March, 1 million for April, 1 million for May and then 2 million for June and 3 million for July and so on and so forth,” he said.

“'Yan ang dapat malaman ng mga kababayan natin kapag nag-order tayo ng vaccine. It will be in tranches,” he added.

Galvez however noted that the COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer under the COVAX Facility could be the first ones that will be used in the country before the Sinovac vaccines as they are eyeing an earlier rollout. —KG, GMA News