SOME 2.1 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as of June 20, according to the Department of Health (DOH).
In its latest report, the DOH said 2,153,942 have received two doses of the vaccines since March 1 when the national vaccination program was launched, while 6,253,400 individuals belonging to priority groups A1 to A5 have received the first dose.
“The average daily administered doses in the last seven days is 208,809,” said the DOH.
The government targets to procure 148 million doses of vaccines to inoculate 50 million to 70 million Filipinos by the end of the year to achieve herd immunity.
The Philippines has received at least 14.4 million doses of various vaccine brands since February.
Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel Romualdez said around 300,000 doses of Moderna vaccines will arrive on June 27, with “bigger shipments” expected in July and August.
Romualdez said the initial shipment, which was supposed to arrive yesterday. is part of the 20 million doses purchased by the government and the private sector.
He said the delay was caused by some problems in storage and transportation.
The government on Saturday signed the biggest vaccine supply so far — 40 million doses of Pfizer vaccines.
The government on Sunday said with the 40 million doses from Pfizer, the country has secured 113 million doses, including 26 million from China’s Sinovac, 10 million from Russia’s Gamaleya, 20 million doses from Moderna, and 17 million doses from AstraZeneca.
Around 16 million doses from Novavax and Johnson & Johnson are being negotiated.
The country is also expecting at least 44 million doses of vaccines from the global vaccine-sharing scheme COVAX Facility.
Among the priority groups, the A1 group (healthcare workers) has 1.6 million who have received the first dose and about 1 million fully vaccinated; A2 (seniors citizens), 2 million first dose and 553,527 fully vaccinated; A3 (persons with comorbidities), 2 million first doses and 524,699 second dose; A4 (frontline workers), 526,896 first dose and 8,086 second dose; and A5 (indigent population), with 67,185 first doses.
The Manila city government scrapped its policy of allowing walk-in residents at various vaccination sites yesterday but restored it later yesterday. — With Ashzel Hachero
