MANILA, Philippines — More than three months' worth of COVID-19 vaccinations in the country have led to more than 2 million Filipinos receiving the second of two doses to be fully vaccinated, the Palace said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Thursday presented official data that showed 2,012,154 individualshave been fully vaccinated, with 5,551,087 more done with their first dose.
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The figure is still only a fraction of the goal to vaccinate 50 to 70 million people this year to achieve herd immunity.
Such efforts began in March when supplies of the jabs began coming in to the country. By mid-June, Roque said some 7,563,241 doses have been administered.
The Philippines has been averaging 140,985 inoculations a day in the last seven days.
Priority sectors
Vaccinations are still focused on those in government's priority list. It would mean 1.02 million health workers complete with their shots, with 1.47 million with their first dose.
Some 513,711 senior citizens are now also fully vaccinated, with 1.84 million receiving their initial shot.
On those with comorbidities, figures showed 469,747 with two doses, while 1.87 million got their first. Essential workers are at 7,165 fully inoculated, with 364,694 with their first dose.
The pandemic task force opened vaccinations for the said priority group or A4 this June, paving the way for some 35 million workers now qualified to receive the jabs.
Local governments have since moved to encourage more of their constituents to get vaccinated, such as raffling animals for livelihood or and a house a lot, to name a few.
On Wednesday, Quezon City began too an evening shift in vaccinations for workers unable to get the jabs during the day.
Roque said the country has received 14.2 million vaccine doses to date. Next month, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. reported that 11.67 million more doses will arrive in the country, in the hopes of stabilizing the supply and ramp up inoculations. — with reports from Xave Gregorio