Gov’t eyes 2nd vaccine dose for 7M Filipinos for Dec. 15-17 vax drive — Duque

The Philippines seeks to fully vaccinate seven million individuals against COVID-19 for the second round of the mass vaccination drive from December 15 to 17, the Department of Health (DOH) said Tuesday.

This will allow the government to reach the target of 54 million fully vaccinated Filipinos by the end of the year, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said at the Laging Handa briefing.

“Ang target natin dito mga seven million para second dose,” Duque said.

(Our target is seven million individuals for the second dose.)

Around 38.7 million individuals have been fully vaccinated against the illness as of December 6, according to the government.

Close to 10 million people were vaccinated after the first round of the national vaccination days (November 29 to December 3).

Meanwhile, Duque said the Philippines is not changing its definition of “fully vaccinated." 

“‘Yung ating primary series ‘yun pa rin ‘yun, diba, two-dose primary series vaccination, and then ‘yung pangatlo ‘yung booster dose,” he said.

(Our primary series is the same, two-dose primary series vaccination, and then the third is the booster dose.)

The country began administering booster doses last month. — VBL, GMA News