‘BETTER CHRISTMAS’

Gov't eyes vaccination of 25 million most vulnerable Filipinos by September 2021

The national government is seeking to inoculate 25 million Filipinos to achieve herd containment by September 2021, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Monday.

Galvez said the 25 million people are composed of health workers, senior citizens and people with comorbidities.

"Sinasabi po natin na we should have better Christmas this year. Ang strategy natin na kapag nabakuna na natin ang 25 million (of Philippine population) ito na po ang pinakavulnerable," Galvez said during the Talk to the Nation of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Galvez said herd containment will reduce hospitalization and fatalities due to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Galvez said it aims to immunize 58 million to 70 million Filipinos by November 2021 to achieve herd immunity.

In the second quarter of 2022, Galvez said they target to reach the vaccination of 110 million Filipinos, which will include inoculation of children. This will also expect to eliminate COVID-19.

He said the simultaneous vaccine administration or "Simplify" aims to vaccinate 25 million people belonging to A1 - A3 priority from March to April.

In June, Galvez said they are mulling to vaccinate A4 and A5 priority groups by June. These priority groups are the government, economic frontliners, and indigent population.

Meanwhile, Galvez said they are eyeing to vaccinate those in the B1 until C priority groups and other target adult population.

So far, the government deployed 4,009,880 vaccine shots out of 7,571,000 total doses of COVID-19 in the Philippines.

Over 1.9 million first doses of vaccines were administered while 451,270 second doses of vaccines were administered.—LDF, GMA News