PH eyeing to vaccinate at least 5 million Filipinos by June

MANILA, Philippines — The government targets to inoculate at least 5 million Filipinos by June in a bid to give protection to the population especially amid a mutation of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus causing Covid-19, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Unang hakbang po natin, pinaaga po natin ang pagbabakuna. Bago pa po dumating ang mga western brands, gaya ng Pfizer, may kaunti na rin pong dadating sa Pebrero,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing.

(Our first step is to vaccinate early. Before western brands like Pfizer arrive, there are some vaccines coming in February.)

Some 50,000 Covid-19 vaccines from Sinovac Biotech is expected to arrive next month. This batch is part of the 25 million doses that the government secured from the Chinese company.

“Kasi po mas mabilis makahawa itong new variant, so bibigyan natin ng proteksyon. Ang pinakamababa, 5 milyong mga Pilipino between now and June,” he added.

(Since the new variant is more transmissible, we will give them protection. The lowest will be 5 million Filipinos vaccinated between now and June.)

Asked if quarantine restrictions will be tightened due to detection of the UK Covid-19 variant in the country, Roque said it will still depend on the total nationwide cases and critical care capacity.

The Department of Health (DOH) announced Wednesday that a male Quezon City resident who arrived in the country from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), on January 7 was found to be infected with the UK Covid-19 variant.

DOH said it will recommend adding UAE to the list of countries with travel restrictions to the Philippines in the wake of this finding.

KGA