Philippines so far vaccinated 44,000 vs. COVID-19, says Galvez

More than 44,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the Philippines, the country's vaccines czar Secretary Carlito Galvez said on Monday.

In a briefing chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte, Galvez said there was now an uptick in the demand for available COVID-19 vaccine doses after doctors in Metro Manila were seen on television getting inoculated. 

"Global vaccination, we have 300 million plus, tumaas ang daily rate natin na seven million. Nakaktuwa na kasama na ang PHL at meron na tayong 44,000 doses administered," Galvez said.

Galvez said 1,125,600 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have arrived this March -- 600,000 Sinovac doses donated by China and 525,600 AstraZeneca donated through the Covax facility.

"Dumating kahapon 38,400 doses... 'Yung nauna na natanggap 400,000 plus merong hindi nakasama.  So binuo na," Galvez said. 

In Joseph Morong's exclusive interview on "Stand for Truth", Galvez said government was looking to achieve herd immunity in the Philippines before the end of the year with the vaccination against COVID-19 of 70 million people.

Galvez said this meant a daily vaccination rate of 300,000 to 500,000 people.

Is this feasible?

"Kung steady ang supply," Galvez said.

The Philippines expects 60 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the third quarter and another 60 million in the fourth. 

Galvez said the government was considering the deployment anew of soldiers and police in public places to ensure compliance with minimum health standards to combat COVID-19. 

The Department of Health and hospitals have reported an increase in the cases of COVID-19 over the past two weeks.

OCTA Research compared the current rate of  increase to the level in July 2020 when the pandemic was in the early stages. -NB, GMA News