DOH says over 1.9M COVID-19 vaccine doses administered so far in PH

FILE PHOTO: A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a “Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine” sticker and a medical syringe in this illustration taken October 30, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

MANILA, Philippines — Over 1.9 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered so far in the country, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online press briefing that of this number, over 1.6 million have received their first dose, while 284,553 have received their second dose.

Those who received their first dose are composed of over 1,094,493 health workers, 278,183 senior citizens, 275,924 individuals with comorbidity, and 1,718 frontline personnel in essential sectors.

Meanwhile, a total of 270,758 health workers, 3,083 senior citizens, and 10,685 persons with comorbidity have received their second dose.

The country has so far received over 3.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

The latest shipment was composed of 15,000 doses of Russian-made Sputnik V that arrived last Saturday. The remaining 480,000 doses will arrive by the end of May.

Vergeire explained that the 1,718 frontline personnel were only inoculated as part of the “symbolic” vaccination on Labor Day.

She said the frontline workers, who belong to the A4 group, will not be simultaneously vaccinated yet with the A1 to A3 group composed of health workers, elderly, and persons with comorbidity since the government is still awaiting vaccines that are expected to arrive this month and in June.

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