A member of the OCTA Research Team said Sunday that 70% of Metro Manila’s population could be vaccinated against COVID-19 this year.
“I think the total population dito sa three areas na ‘to will be almost half of the Philippine population,” Professor Guido David said in Dano Tingcungco’s report on “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.
“The advantage of that we have some of the more modern health facilities here and we have a local government system that is well structured,” he added.
The government targets to vaccinate 70% of the Philippine population this year to achieve herd immunity.
However, David said this might not be possible this year because of several factors to consider such as storage, transportation, keeping track of those vaccinated, and distribution of the vaccines.
“That is a bit, a little optimistic, I believe. But I think maybe we can’t get 70 million in one year. Bakit? Because there will be logistic nightmares to consider,” David said.
“Hindi lang naman having sufficient supply will be the solution. It will be done at the LGU level so it depends on the logistics of the local government,” he added.
But David also said that this may change if the government polishes its COVID-19 vaccination program.
50-70 million Filipinos targeted to be vaccinated until December: vaccine czar
About 50 million to 70 million Filipinos are expected to be vaccinated by December, according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez.
“Sa best case scenario po, kung meron po tayong enough supply at naging successful ang negotiation natin, by December, kaya po natin 50 to 70 million,” said Galvez in an interview with Teleradyo.
Up to 10 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine under the COVAX Facility are expected to arrive in the Philippines in the first quarter of the year or until March, Galvez said.
It is said to include 117,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine which is expected to arrive in the third week of February.
Galvez, on the other hand, assured that data integration between local government units and the private sector will also be adjusted so that vaccination is not doubled.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) has ensured that the government will not buy vaccines that will harm public health.