Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said Tuesday that there are around 25,000 vaccinators undergoing training as the start of COVID-19 vaccination in the country nears.
He added local government units (LGUs) especially in the National Capital Region (NCR) are already finalizing their lists of individuals who would receive the free COVID-19 vaccines from the government.
“We are training more or less 25,000 vaccinators,” he said in an interview on ANC.
“’Yung ating mga LGUs lalo na dito sa NCR nagko-consolidate na sila ng mga master list ng mga magpa-participate sa nationwide vaccination,” he added.
The Philippine government targets to innoculate 50 to 60 million Filipinos this year.
According to the vaccine czar, around 50,000 Filipinos are expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of February.
The first batch of the immunization will serve as the “rehearsal” of the government’s national rollout of inoculation.
“Magkakaroon tayo ng national rollout. So ito ‘yung tinatawag natin na rehearsal para matuto ‘yung ating mga vaccinator at para makita natin ‘yung assimilations kung paano natin gagawin ang nationwide rollout,” he added.
Galvez said the vaccinators already attended lectures on the vaccination and this “rehearsal” will serve as their “practical exercise.”
He added more Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines would be delivered to the Philippines in the next months.
“So ‘yung pagbibigay ng Sinovac, we will have 50,000 for February, 950,000 for March, 1 million for April, 1 million for May and then 2 million for June and 3 million for July and so on and so forth,” Galvez said.
Also read: Quezon City secures 1.1 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine
Around 25,000 vaccinators under training – Galvez
“’Yan ang dapat malaman ng mga kababayan natin kapag nag-order tayo ng vaccine. It will be in tranches,” he added.
COVID-19 vaccine supply that the Philippines will definitely get:
- 25 million doses – Sinovac (China)
- 30 million doses – Covovax (India)
- 2.5 million doses – AstraZeneca (UK)
This is in addition to the at least 2.5 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine available on the private sector initiative.
COVID-19 vaccination Priority list
- 1st priority: frontline health workers
- 2nd priority: indigent senior citizens
- 3rd priority: remaining senior citizens
- 4th priority: remaining indigent population
- 5th priority: uniformed personnel (PNP, AFP, PCG, BFP, CAFGU)