MANILA, Philippines — Cities in the National Capital Region (NCR) could immunize 50 percent of its population against COVID-19 “in three months or less” based on the current speed of vaccination, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said on Wednesday.
MMDA chairman Benhur Abalos, citing data based on daily reports of Metro Manila cities, said that NCR as a whole has administered a total of 3.6 million shots, averaging 114,000 inoculations a day.
Abalos said 877,958 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, while 2.8 million already received their first dose.
“Targeting at least 50 percent of Metro Manila’s 14 million population, around 14 million jabs would be needed and so far with the 3.6 million jabs done as of June 22, we would be looking at around 10.3 million jabs remaining,” the MMDA said in a statement quoting Abalos.
“Given our daily average jabs, we will be having at least 3.4 million jabs per month. Therefore, the remaining 10.3 million jabs can be attained in three months or less,” he added.
Abalos said if the vaccination pace in the NCR cities maintains or increases its momentum, the local governments could “have the majority of Metro Manila’s population protected by the end of September this year or hopefully earlier.”
United Kingdom-based think tank Pantheon Macroeconomics earlier said the Philippines will be among the last country in Asia to achieve herd immunity. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, in response, said that the government “will prove them wrong.”
Health Department’s vaccine rollout update on Monday showed that 8,407,342 doses had been administered as of Sunday, including 6,253,400, who had their first dose, and those who completed their second dose 2,153,942.