PH’s single day COVID-19 vaccination record nears 700,000 — Duque
An elderly resident gets vaccinated against COVID-19 at Barangay Lourdes Sur East in Angeles City, Pampanga. (Photo from the Angeles City government)
MANILA, Philippines — The country’s highest number of COVID-19 vaccine jabs administered in a single day is now at 680,000, beyond the initial target of 500,000 doses per day.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III revealed this during a House of Representatives hearing on the government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. Duque said the feat which was achieved on Tuesday, was reported to him by National Task Force against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon.
The highest number of vaccines administered — 680,883 — surpassed the numbers recorded last July 27, which was above 660,000.
“Ngayon pong umaga, sinabihan lang po ako ng ating Deputy Chief Implementer Sec. Vince Dizon na umabot na tayo sa 680,000 jabs ang pinaka mataas po at ito’y lagpas na sa ating pinupuntiryang 500k jabs per day at mahigit three million na bakuna ang atin pong naitalang moving weekly average,” Duque said.
Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. who was also present during the hearing said critics of the country’s COVID-19 response said it is impossible to reach the 500,000-mark. The country he said is already averaging more than that.
For the past week, the country had a daily anti-COVID-19 vaccine administration average of 529,911 doses.
“Good news, that the Philippines had already administered 21,883,781 doses of various vaccines, with 12,058,315 Filipinos that have taken the first dose, while 9,825,466 Filipinos are now fully vaccinated, which represent 13.87 percent of the targeted eligible population […] and 8.85 percent of the PH total population,” Galvez said.
“There was a significant increase within our daily jabs this week, the daily average of 529,911 doses, many people even our detractors said that it is very impossible for us to have the 500,000. Now we are breaching now more than 600,000 and nearly 700,000-mark,” he added.
Vice President Leni Robredo’s earlier suggested that the government try to give 750,000 vaccines per day to ensure an end to the repeating lockdowns in Metro Manila.
Robredo’s suggestions came as the National Capital Region will be placed again under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from August 6 to 20 to contain the spread of the more transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant.
/MUF
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