AROUND 50 million Filipinos are expected to be fully inoculated against COVID-19 by the end of year 2021 as vaccine supply remains stable in the country, National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa claimed Saturday.
“Kahapon, nakapagbakuna tayo ng 707,000 in one day. So, lumalapit tayo doon sa [target na] 1 million a day and hopefully, by next week, ma-attain natin ‘yan with all the adjustments and re-calibration, ma-attain natin ‘yong 1.5 million vaccines per day para before Christmas, nakapag-70 million na tayo at least na Pilipinong vaccinated,” Herbosa said during the Laging Handa public press briefing.
Despite the sudden decrease of the government’s initial 70-million targeted amount of fully-vaccinated individuals, Herbosa said that the country is still now at the point where it can reach its 50-million mark.
“As of now, we have inoculated 58 million doses na sa ating mga kababayan and I think kalahati noon already is… more than half of that is already fully vaccinated,” he stated.
“Pataas nang pataas ‘yong rate natin. Nasa 32 percent na tayo. So, hopefully, makuha natin ‘yong 50 percent [of] fully vaccinated [individuals] by the end of December,” he added.
The NTF adviser further underscored that the Philippines has managed to receive over 100 million COVID-19 vaccine shots.
It can also be noted that about 58 million individuals have been, so far, administered with COVID-19 vaccines of various brands.
Last October 25, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. has emphasized that by the end of the year, approximately 50 percent of the country’s total population will possibly be fully inoculated against the virulent virus.
When asked about the government’s strategy to hit its goal, Herbosa said that since they have first prioritized distributing vaccines across Metro Manila, their vaccination drive will now be expanded to also provide enough vaccine supplies for places outside the capital region.
The government, upon the support of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), will also seek for medical practitioners, students, or additional vaccinators deemed competent enough to administer the COVID-19 shots.