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Duterte to LGUs: Wait for COVID-19 vaccines, distribute immediately


President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday night vowed the immediate distribution to local government units millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

Duterte made the remark amid what vaccines czar Secretary Carlito Galvez called a rising demand for the jabs among LGUs and the limited shelf life of the vaccines.

"Sabi nila it came in trickles. Ngayon, medyo volume-volume na, so maghintay lang kayo kasi these things must be distributed immediately the fastest way we can do it," Duterte said in a talk to the people.

[They said it came in trickles. Now, they're coming in in huge volumes, so just wait because these things must be distributed immediately the fastest way we can do it.]

In his report, Galvez said millions of vaccines have arrived and were expected to arrive but added that LGUs have been calling him because their supplies have been running out.

"Public acceptance ng vaccine is growing. Maraming LGUs, tawag nang tawag. Ibig sabihin kinakapos na sila ng vaccine," Galvez said.

[Public acceptance ng vaccine is growing. Many LGUs have been calling. This means they're already running out.]

Duterte told local executives to also make sure the vaccines were distributed to their constituents forthwith.

"Vaccines may expiration. Kailangan pagdating sa inyo, mapatakbo na agad ang administrative pati local hospital so you will not waste the vaccine because we didn't deliver it on time," Duterte said.

"I am saying this because I do not want to lose the battle here thru negligence
The problem is if you are not able to administer the vaccines on time because there is a limited to their effectiveness," he added. 

As of May 11, the Department of Health said over two million individuals in the country have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, while over 500,000 are now fully protected after receiving two doses.

The DOH said 2,539,693 doses have been administered in 1,047 active vaccination sites nationwide.

A total of 2,025,038 people have received their first dose, 1,195,381 of whom are health workers, 466,899 are senior citizens, 353,842 are persons with comorbidities, and 8,916 are essential workers.

Among the 514,655 fully vaccinated individuals, 355,242 are health workers, 25,070 are senior citizens, and 134,343 are persons with comorbidities.

The Philippines aims to inoculate 50 to 70 million people this year.

The country has so far recorded 1,124,724 cases of COVID-19 including 18,821 deaths and 1,050,643 recoveries. —NB, GMA News

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