Over 1,300 have received second dose of COVID-19 vaccine —DOH

Over 1,300 individuals have received their second dose of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine, the Department of Health said Thursday.

The DOH said 738,913 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered as of March 30, of which 737,569 were first doses and 1,344 were second jabs.

The DOH also said 2,596 vaccination sites across the country are conducting inoculation.

The DOH said the National Capital Region has begun administering the second dose for health workers.

Meanwhile, vaccination for senior citizens and persons with comorbidities has also started.

On Monday, the one million doses of Chinese firm Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine arrived in the country, making it the first vaccine supply paid for by the national government delivered to the Philippines.

The doses were just the first batch of the 25 million doses of CoronaVac that the Philippine government procured.

Prior to the arrival of the one million CoronaVac shots, one million doses of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine donated by the Chinese government and 525,600 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from global aid initiative COVAX facility have arrived in the country.

Meanwhile, the DOH said the 979,200 AstraZeneca vaccine doses initially expected in March will arrive in the country this month or early May.

The country has so far recorded 747,288 cases of COVID-19 including 130,245 active cases, 603,746 recoveries and 13,297 deaths. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News