Robredo urges faster vaccination pace as COVID cases pick up

Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday urged a faster pace of vaccinations, saying that the current number of shots administered on a weekly average means it would take years to achieve herd immunity against the respiratory illness.

On her radio show, Robredo called on the government to expedite the vaccination rollout.

“Kung 30,000 a week lang iyong nababakunahan, ilang years ang kailangan para ma-reach natin ‘yong herd immunity? Kasi iyong herd immunity, between 70 to 80 million Filipinos dapat mabakunahan para maka-back to normal tayo,” she said.

[If only 30,000 doses are being administered weekly, how many years will it take before we reach herd immunity? Herd immunity requires between 70 to 80 million Filipinos to be vaccinated.]

Robredo also hoped that more vaccine shipments will arrive soon as COVID-19 cases in the country continue to rise.

Last week, the Department of Health said it is working to speed up COVID-19 vaccination.

This came after Senator Panfilo Lacson said the country would not be able to achieve herd immunity until 2033 based on the pace of the vaccination program.

Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the Philippines is still in the early stages of vaccination since the 600,000 Sinovac shots were only rolled out on March 1.

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. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News