The Department of Health (DOH) has vaccinated 656,331 Filipinos nationwide since the government’s vaccination program began.
The 656,331 vaccinated equated to 80.23% of the intended doses for the first jab. A total of 2,494 vaccination sites has also been set up in 17 regions in the country.
The DOH targets to vaccinate 1.8 million healthcare workers (HCWs), nine million senior citizens, and 14.5 million people with comorbidities.
But of HCWs, the DOH is still looking for about 600,000 of them who may have no hospital or clinic affiliation, to join the vaccination program.
Consequently, the DOH plans to create a master list of HCWs who have already been vaccinated.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the DOH has already ordered all ‘implementing units’ to identify all healthcare workers in the country by March 31.
“We also have called on all healthcare professional societies, dental associations, midwife associations, at iba pa po na kayo po ay magpalista na sa local governments para mabakunahan na natin ang inyong mga miyembro at ma-exhaust natin ang ating mga health worker,” said Vergeire.
650K Pinoys vaccinated against COVID-19: DOH
Meanwhile, after the ceremony held at Villamor Airbase in Pasay City with the arrival of the first batch of government-purchased Sinovac vaccines, they were immediately directed to the storage facility of the Department of Health in Concepcion-Uno in Marikina City.
This is the Metro Pacific cold storage facility where the first batch of vaccines donated by China has already been temporarily stored.
Unlike the first delivery of CoronaVac donations, the delivery of the new supply to the Metropac storage facility has become simpler.
President Rodrigo Duterte also announced that private firms would be allowed to buy their COVID-19 vaccines “at will,” as the Philippines record all-time high new daily cases of 10,016 on Wednesday.
“I have ordered Secretary [Carlito] Galvez to sign any and all documents that would allow the private sector to import at will, maski anong gusto nilang amount na ipasok, OK sa akin [whatever amount they want to bring in, is OK with me],” Duterte said during his weekly “Talk To The People” televised briefing.
The President said that there are many private companies that want to buy vaccines for their employees. “You know the reason why? So that the economy can be opened,” he said.