The Philippines’ mass vaccination program against COVID-19 may begin in August or September, according to National Task Force chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
Galvez said the Philippines will receive 20-25 million doses of COVID-19 shots by the third quarter of 2021 which will be sufficient to cover its general adult population.
“Iyong ating tinatawag na other target adult population o ‘yong general populace, baka mag-start po tayo [ng pagbabakuna] nang August o September,” he said in a press briefing.
“We are targeting na magkaroon tayo ng daily jabs na 500,000. Then later on, we are targeting 2M to 3M per week,” he added.
The country’s vaccination drive currently covers the priority groups such as health workers, the elderly, and people with underlying illness or comorbidities.
Meanwhile, the inoculation of economic frontliners and indigents will begin in June.
So far, the Philippines has administered 1.8 million doses out of 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines available.
“Pipilitin po natin na ‘yong 2 million marker, matapos po natin ngayong buwan,” Galvez.
He said 9-10 million doses of COVID-19 jabs is expected to arrive in the country by June.
