Herd immunity in 2033? DOH says it’s working to speed up COVID-19 vaccination

The Department of Health (DOH) is working to speed up COVID-19 vaccination, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday after Senator Panfilo Lacson urged the government to accelerate the rollout. 

“Nag-meeting na po at kinausap na po ang ating vaccine sites, also our regional directors para mas mabilis pa po ang pagbabakuna natin,” Vergeire said during a virtual briefing.

(The DOH has met with vaccine sites and regional directors to hasten the vaccine rollout.)

Earlier in the day, Lacson said the Philippines would not be able to achieve herd immunity until 2033 based on the current pace of the vaccination program, which has covered 114,615 individuals as of March 10. 

"At the rate of about 4,000 a day, assuming that the vaccination is not accelerated and assuming we will have the vaccines for the 70-million targeted population for herd immunity, we might not achieve herd immunity until 2033 at the rate we’re doing it now,” Lacson told CNN-Philippines.

“But if we accelerate, and I hope the government would accelerate the vaccination rollout, then maybe we can advance the timetable," he added.

Vergeire pointed out that the Philippines is still in the early stages of vaccination since the 600,000 Sinovac jabs were only rolled out on March 1. 

“Hindi pa natin naibibigay sa lahat ng regions ‘yan, tuloy tuloy ang distribution natin. Just like with Sinovac, for the first three days, ang bakunahan po ay mababa. But after a while, nag-kick off siya at tumaas na rin. So we are hoping na as the days will pass, tataas na rin po ang accomplishment natin,” she said.

(We have not distributed vaccines to all regions. Our distribution is ongoing. Just like with Sinovac, for the first three days, the number of vaccine recipients was low. But after a while, it kicked off and increased. So we are hoping that as the days pass, our accomplishment will improve.)

Vergeire also said herd immunity is the long-term goal while the reduction of morbidity and mortality linked to COVID-19 is the immediate focus.

“We agree that herd immunity should come in as fast as we could para lang matapos na ang transmission dito sa sakit na ito,” she said.

(We agree that herd immunity should come in as fast as we could just to cut the transmission of this disease.) 

— RSJ, GMA News