DOH: Over 13k people vaccinated vs. COVID so far, with 61 'adverse events'

The Department of Health on Saturday said there are now more than 13,000 individuals who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, noting that 61 "adverse events" occurred since the roll out of the national vaccination program on March 1.

"As of 6 p.m. kahapon po (Friday) meron na po tayong 13,639 individuals na nabigyan na natin ng bakuna among our 39 vaccination sites," DOH spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire at the Laging Handa public briefing.

"Kahapon din po base sa datos as of 6 p.m. meron ho tayong 61 adverse events following immunization," she added.

Vergeire, however did not elaborate on the "adverse events." 

According to Vergeire, the DOH recorded 700 vaccinees on the first day of vaccination, but increased to 3,000 to 4,000 after two days.

"We expect na tataas pa update lalong lalo na po at meron na ho tayong ibibigay sa kanila na option because AstraZeneca vaccines are here already," Vergeire said.

Vergeire said the ceremonial activities for the AstraZeneca vaccines will start this Saturday at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), Cardinal Santos and Ospital ng Paranaque. —LBG, GMA News