The COVID-19 vaccination pace in the Philippines could reach up to 3 million a week if a sufficient supply of doses will arrive by June, the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said.
Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the national government plans to rapidly increase the number of vaccinations to curb the spread of COVID-19.
“For 2021, our strategy is containment strategy, meaning we have to achieve a steady supply of vaccines. We have to strategize also our vaccination through the mobilization of national resources, including the national government, the LGU, and the private sector,” he said during a committee hearing at the House of Representatives.
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Galvez added that the government has established a total of 2,497 vaccination sites across 771 cities and municipalities in the country.
So far the Philippines has received 2.52 million vaccine doses, including 2 million from Chinese drug manufacturer Sinovac Biotech and AstraZeneca shots from vaccine-sharing initiative COVAX Facility
According to NTF, some 738,913 doses have been administered to priority groups, such as healthcare workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities.
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Galvez said the government is exerting all efforts in acquiring vaccines to inoculate 70 million people or two-thirds of its population within the year.
To achieve herd immunity, the government is eyeing to purchase at least 148 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines from seven manufacturers.
Meanwhile, the government has already sealed supply deals with vaccine manufacturers such as Sinovac, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Novavax. (RA)
