Around 80% of target population vaccinated vs. COVID-19 in NCR; 18% to 30% in provinces — Año

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday said around 80% of the target population in the National Capital Region and 18% to 30% in provinces are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Año said the government will ramp up the inoculation in provinces outside Metro Manila as it targets to vaccinate 50% to 70% of their target population by Christmas.

“Ngayon dito sa Metro Manila nasa 80% na tayo. Yung ibang probinsya outside NCR, nasa 18%, nasa 30% so malayo pa,” he said.

(Currently, we are already at around 80% here in Metro Manila. Other provinces outside NCR are at around 18%, around 30%, so still a long way to go)

To discuss the boosting of COVID-19 vaccination in provinces, Año said that on Friday, regional directors from concerned government agencies and selected mayors and governors will have a meeting.

He added that the government will expand the vaccination in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, and Davao, then in the other areas in the country.

As of October 14, a total of 23.98 million people or 31.09% of the country’s target population are already fully vaccinated, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said.

On Tuesday, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said finding supplies of vaccines against the coronavirus disease is no longer a problem for the Philippines.

"Right now supply is not anymore an issue. We have more than 38 million doses in our warehouses," Galvez said. — RSJ, GMA News