Galvez: Lower COVID-19 cases possible in October or November due to vaccination

The Philippines may see a downward trend in COVID-19 cases by October or November once the majority of the people living in highly affected areas such as Metro Manila are vaccinated, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Thursday.

Galvez gave the projection as millions of vaccine doses are slated to arrive in the country in the second half of the year. This will allow the government to scale up the vaccination efforts.

“Once the majority of [residents in] the affected highly urbanized cities like Metro Manila are vaccinated by October or November, our projection is that we will likely see a drop in cases,” Galvez, the government’s vaccine czar, said at a Palace news conference.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque backed Galvez’s statement, saying coronavirus infections in the United Kingdom and Israel have gone down due to vaccination.

“Still, we remind those who have been vaccinated to wear masks, wash their hands and observe physical distancing. The vaccine is only an additional protection [against the virus.] It is not a substitute to the minimum health standards,” the Palace official said.

The Philippines has so far vaccinated nearly 1.4 million people since it rolled out its mass immunization campaign on March 1, according to government data. The government aims to vaccinate up to 70 million this year.

The country reported 8,767 new infections on Thursday, taking the total caseload to 971,049. The death toll climbed to 16,370. — RSJ, GMA News