Herd immunity eyed in NCR, other high-risk areas — Galvez

The government will focus its COVID-19 vaccination drive on high-risk areas such as the National Capital Region (NCR) and neighboring provinces, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday.

Speaking at a Palace news conference, Galvez said the experts had recommended such a strategy to curb the spread of the coronavirus and achieve herd immunity in the NCR, Regions 3 and 4A, Cebu, and Davao, as well as Regions 6 and 9.

“We will be able to cover the affected areas once we reach 5 million vaccinations in Metro Manila,” said Galvez, the government's vaccine czar.

Frontline personnel in essential sectors, uniformed personnel, and the indigent population will be vaccinated beginning in May, Galvez added.

More than 800,000 Filipinos have already received a COVID-19 vaccine since the mass immunization program kicked off on March 1, according to Galvez.

The government aims to conduct up to one million vaccinations per week in May and then two to three million each week in June and July.

While the country still has a low vaccine supply, Galvez said more deliveries are expected in the second half of the year. 

The Philippines aims to receive 20 million doses monthly from August to December. 

The Philippines on Monday registered 8,355 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total tally to 803,398.

The new cases brought the number of active cases in the country to 143,726. — RSJ, GMA News