PH reaches 30 million fully vaccinated against COVID-19, to roll out ‘Bakunahan Day’ on Nov. 29
The Philippine government announced Thursday, Nov. 11, that 30 million of the country’s 109 million population have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a press briefing, the government has adminsitered 66.8 million COVID-19 doses, with roughly 36.3 million of those being initial shots.
As of Wednesday, Nov. 10, 30,479,917 people have received their full dose of COVID-19 vaccine, accounting for 39.51% of the target population.
About 1,052,600 vaccine shots on Nov. 10 alone were admistered, Roque said.
In Metro Manila, 100% of the target population or 9.8 million people have been given their initial vaccination, while 8.9 million have been fully vaccinated.
During the three-day nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive called “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” Day from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, the government aims to inoculate at least 15 million Filipinos.
Dr. Kezia Rosario of the National Vaccination Operations Center presented the roll-out strategy for the vaccination implementation.
“Ang konsepto talaga (ng) Bayanihan, tayong lahat ay sama-sama sa pagtugon ng call na tayo po ay magpabakuna,” Rosario said.
Around 4,000 to 5,000 immunization stations across the country's 17 regions will be activated for the campaign, which will be rolled out simultaneously across the country.
The vaccination day will be conducted by all government departments, local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations, and commercial sector partners, according to Rosario.
Volunteers from the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) and its constituent organizations in the regions and provinces will be mobilized to supplement vaccinators in areas where more personnel is needed.
In terms of vaccine deployment, Rosario stated that assets from various government agencies will be deployed to transfer the supplies to the targeted immunization zones.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and Department of Transportation (DOTr) are among those who will do this.
In order to get the vaccinations to the specified immunization sites, the national government will take the support of the private sector.
Roque said that the public should wait for announcements from the Palace on whether the three-day vaccination program could be declared as a national holiday through the issuance of an executive order.
Last Nov. 9, president of the League of Provinces in the Philippines Gov. Presbitero Velasco Jr. said in an interview on TeleRadyo that the vaccination rate in other regions in the country is still low.
“Dito ho sa ibang rehiyon outside NCR, eh mababa pa ang [bilang] ng bakunahan. ‘Yung iba ay 18% to 32% ang range.”
On the supply of the vaccines being delivered to provinces, Velasco said that the NCR has been the focus, getting 60% of vaccines, while the remaining 40% is being delivered to different regions in the country.
“Humiling nga po kami sa DOH na it’s about time na damihan na po ‘yung supply ng mga bakuna dito sa ating mga lalawigan na hindi nabibigyan ng maraming bakuna. Marami naman nang supply so talaga gusto namin na maabot na agad ang herd immunity,” Velasco said.
Roque said, “Marami na po tayong supply, wala na pong dahilan para magsabi na wala ping bakuna o kulang ang bakuna kaya hindi nagpapabakuna. Anuman ang brand, ligtas at epektibo lahat ng ibinigay nating bakuna.”