Galvez: 10M inoculated vs. COVID-19 in extended vax drive

The Philippines was able to inoculate 10.2 million individuals against COVID-19 during the extended vaccination drive from November 29 to December 3.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government was able to administer a total of 10,254,560 doses nationwide.

“This is our highest five-level average since we started our vaccination rollout in March,” Galvez said during his speech at the Bayanihan, Bakunahan event in Mandaluyong City.

Galvez said the country’s average daily jab rate also rose to 2.05 million.

For his part, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the government aims to fully vaccinate "no less than 90% of the Philippine population" before President Rodrigo Duterte's term ends in June 2022.

He said this is equivalent to 99 million Filipinos.

"I'm confident that we will be able to achieve this at the rate we are going and we have proven in the first three days of massive vaccination rollout," he said in the same event.

At present, around 39.7 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while around 57 million have received at least one dose.

The national vaccination days were initially scheduled from November 29 to December 1. It was extended until December 3 upon the request of some local government units. A second round will be held on December 15 to 17.

Meanwhile, Galvez said 6.5 million or 22% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Sa ngayon nabilang ko po 6.5 million at tuwang-tuwa po kami dahil kasi maganda na po mag face-to-face na po ang ating mga estudyante,” Galvez said.

(They are at 6.5 million. We are really happy because they are about to start face-to-face classes.) --KBK, GMA News