"ResBakuna Kids and Tourists" in Baguio City; April 9, 2022 (Photo courtesy of NTF Against Covid-19)
MANILA – The Philippines has so far fully inoculated 66,652,616 against Covid-19, with 12,477,480 of them already with booster or additional shots.
Based on the latest data from the National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19, a total of 5,165,927 are waiting for their second doses while among the pediatric vaccinees, 9,901,584 aged 12 to 17 and 2,478,590 aged 5 to 11 have at least one dose.
In his report to President Rodrigo Duterte late Monday night, NTF chief Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said vaccination slowed down in the past months, attributed mostly to the election period that split the attention of local government units (LGUs) and religious events.
“Nakikita po natin na itong mga dahilan pong ito, ‘yung Ramadan, ‘yung Holy Week, and also ‘yung election rallies ay talagang magpapababa sa ating pagbabakuna dahil ang atensiyon po ng mga LGU ay nandoon na po sa election at saka mga tinatawag nating mga holy celebration po natin (We see that the causes are the Ramadan and Holy Week and also the election rallies that are really slowing down the vaccination because the attention of LGUs is in the elections and the so-called holy celebrations),” said Galvez.
He said there’s a “relatively high vaccination coverage” among the 18 to 59 age group, with almost 80 percent of the fully vaccinated aged 60 years old and above.
“Mr. President, ito po ang dahilan kung bakit napakaganda po ng ating sitwasyon ngayong mga araw na ang lahat ng mga lugar na nasa minimal risk na po tayo lahat (Mr. President, this is the reason why we have a good situation in recent days and that all the areas are at minimal risks),” he added.
Galvez said the government is now ramping up efforts to provide booster shots to at least 40 million, accelerate the provision of second doses to 11.5 million in the pediatric age groups, and fully vaccinate the remaining 20 percent of 1.8 million senior citizens.
He reiterated there’s enough supply of vaccines for all sectors. (PNA)
