Duque says COVID-19 vaccines still not enough, warns vs. complacency

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday warned against complacency in the campaign to stop COVID-19 despite the rollout of millions of doses of vaccines over the past months.

According to Joseph Morong's report on "24 Oras", hospital in Mindanao would be ordered to increase their COVID-19 beds to address the sharp increase in cases in the southern Philippines.

"The vaccine optimism is illusory because we still don't have enough vaccines. Yeah, there are vaccines, fine. But are there enough vaccines? No," Duque said.

"We only have less than what? 10% of our vaccine given? And only 2 to 2.5% of our people have completed their inoculation," he added.

Duterte said the country's vaccination journey was still "a long and winding road."

"We are still far," Duterte said.

In May, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said the government expected to achieve its target of herd immunity the National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby provinces by November.

Galvez said the country would need 15 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines per month to inoculate 70 percent of the population and achieve herd immunity before the end of the year.

He said that 25,000 to 50,000 vaccinators would be needed to help administer the drugs against COVID-19.

Five thousand vaccination sites must also administer 100 COVID-19 jabs per day, Galvez said.

The government has so far administered  a total of 5,965,651 doses nationwide.

There are around 110 million Filipinos, and the government is eyeing to vaccinate 70% of the population to achieve herd immunity.

The Philippines has so far recorded 1,280,773 cases of COVID-19 with 1,202,257 recoveries and 22,064 deaths. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/NB, GMA News