Gov't distributed 81% of COVID-19 vaccines during Q1 –Galvez

The national government has rolled out 80.85% of its total COVID-19 vaccines during the first quarter of 2021 amid the rise of coronavirus infections in the country.

Based on vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr.'s presentation during a Cabinet meeting on Monday, 1,233,500 out of 1,525,600 total vaccine shots had been dispatched to over 2,497 immunization sites, which covers 771 cities and municipalities nationwide.

This was a decrease from the 98 percent vaccine deployment last March 23 as the government had accepted more vaccine doses procured from several companies.

Galvez also said 668,016 health care workers received their first shot of vaccines that would protect them against the respiratory ailment, which has infected more than 700,000 Filipinos.

As for vaccine deliveries during the second quarter, the country will receive 1.5 million shots from Sinovac, 100,000 shots from Gamaleya, 1 million from the COVAX facility in April.

In May, the Philippines will get 2 million Sinovac shots, 2 million from Gamaleya, 2.6 million from AstraZeneca, 1 million from COVAX, and 194,000 from Moderna.

The country is also expecting 4.5 million doses from Sinovac, 4 million from Gamaleya, 1 million from Novavax, and 2 million from AstraZeneca by June this year.

In the third quarter, the Philippine government is eyeing to receive 13.5 million vaccine shots for the whole month of July. Of the total, 3 million will be from Sinovac, 4 million from Gamaleya, 1 million from Moderna, 2 million from Novavax, 1.5 million from Johnson & Johnson, and 2 million from AstraZeneca.

Meanwhile, 40 million doses of vaccines are expected to arrive by August and September.

The government is also seeing more than 140 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines that would be delivered to the country during the fourth quarter of 2021. Specifically, the country will receive 20 million doses each by October, November, and December.

The government is also seeking to vaccinate 500,000 to 1 million people per week during April until May and inoculate 2 million to 3 million people per week from June to July if supplies will be delivered on time, Galvez said.

"Very bold po ang ating target so that just in case magkaroon ng slippage at least medyo mataas ang vaccination rollout," Galvez said during the televised briefing.

"Para ma-achieve ang herd immunity kailangan ng vaccinations ng more or less than 450 to 500 a day," he added.

Galvez said they will also look for manufacturers of booster vaccines or second-generation vaccines to eliminate COVID-19 in the country, which will also help in the badly-hit economy's recovery.

"Pinaka parang target natin, we will have a better Christmas sa 2021. Pinaka-target natin complete elimination of covid-19 so with that we are coordinating different manufacturers nade-develop ng booster vaccines that can prevent and neutralize variants. So ang ano natin is to eliminate the COVID-19 disease," he said. — DVM, GMA News