For the first time, the Philippines has administered more than 2.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in just one day.
This was on Monday’s first day of the national COVID-19 vaccination drive, which aims to vaccinate 9 million in 3 days.
But 2.5 million is still short of the target of 3 million individuals per day.
“Ang pinaka-highest lang natin is 1.2 million. And we were able to double it,” said vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Tuesday.
“I’m still very confident na ‘yong 3 million, masu-surpass natin ‘yon. Unang-una ngayon walang pasok,” said Galvez, which referred to Bonifacio Day, a national holiday.
Most vaccinated were in Calabarzon, followed by Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Central Visayas and Bicol region.
The number of victims in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is low.
“Vaccine preference [ang cause]. Second is hesitancy ng seniors. Third is accessibility. Nakita natin na ‘yong areas sa BARMM ay island provinces,” said Galvez.
The military and the Department of Transportation are said to be helping to bring the vaccine to remote areas.
Also read: PH suspends entry of foreign tourists amid Omicron variant threat
PH injects over 2.5 million COVID-19 vaccines in a day
The National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 has recommended local government units increase the number of screeners at vaccination sites so that the queue of vaccinators does not overflow.
Of the target of 77 million Filipinos or 70 percent of the population, 36 million or 46 percent have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Meanwhile, in his “Talk to the People” on Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte said he was open to making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory if recommended by the Inter-Agency Task Force.
It is amid the threat of the Omicron variant abroad.
Also, due to the threat of the new variant, the NTF recommends that essential workers or A4 priority group and the poor or A5 be included in those who can be given booster shots starting December 10.
According to Galvez, children aged 5 to 11 may be vaccinated against COVID-19 in January.
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