50M Filipinos now fully vaxxed vs. COVID-19, says Galvez

Around 50 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, nearly reaching the government’s 54-million target by the end of the year, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez announced Friday.

During the government’s visit to the Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital, Galvez said the target could have been reached without Typhoon Odette's deadly onslaught,  leaving a swathe of destruction in several regions of the country.

“Napakagandang ano po yun kasi ‘yung 54 million kung ita-translate po natin parang na-delay lang po tayo ng 1 week or 2 weeks sa ating vaccination dahil… ‘yung Odette talagang malaki, anim na region ang ating tinamaan,” he said.

[Nearly hitting the vaccine target for the year is really a good thing, despite the one or two-week delay  due to Odette's huge impact.] 

“Kung sana hindi tinamaan yun baka nakaya natin ‘yung 54 million” (If Odette did not come to pass, we could have hit the 54-million target), he added.

Galvez said this target could be reached within the first or second week of January.

Meanwhile, he said at least 8 million adolescents have received at least one dose against COVID-19, while 5.2 million have been fully vaccinated.

“At tutuloy po tayo, nag-negotiate po tayo  sa Pfizer na mapaaga yung 15 million na inorder natin para sa 5 to 11 [age group] and hopefully dumating sa second week or third week ng January,” he said.

(We negotiated with Pfizer to deliver earlier the 15 million doses we ordered for the 5 to 11 age group, and hopefully, the order will arrive by the second week or third week of January.)

The Philippine Food and Drug Administration has approved the emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s vaccine for ages 5 to 11 years old.

However, the government must procure separate vaccines for the age group. —LBG, GMA News