Gov’t eyes 3-day drive to vaccinate 5 million Filipinos against COVID-19

A patient receives a COVID-19 vaccine. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — The national government is aiming to conduct a three-day drive to vaccinate 5 million people against COVID-19, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Thursday.

Galvez said the government targets to simulate the country’s election day where millions of Filipinos flock to precincts to cast their votes.

“Parang election day na we will stop on that day and lahat ng healthcare workers at saka ‘yung pediatrician and mga dentist, they will gather together just to do the inoculations,” he said in an interview over ABS CBN News Channel.

(It will be like election day where we will pool all resources and all healthcare workers and pediatricians and even dentists, will gather just to do the inoculations.)

“All the agencies —  the military, government agencies, and the private sector — will put in the resources so that day talaga will be a big day natin na parang election day na nakita natin milyon ‘yung nagpupunta sa presinto,” he added.

(So that day will be our big day like an election day where millions of people go to voting precincts to cast their votes.)

Galvez said the government is eyeing to do this in three consecutive days to “maintain the momentum” where resources are already deployed.

This initiative is also anticipated to “acclimatize” towns and provinces to massive inoculation drives, Galvez said.

The government aims to further ramp up COVID-19 vaccination this month, planning to administer one million to 1.5 million vaccine doses per day.

Galvez said the government intends to administer 15 million to 20 million vaccinations this month.

The government will also begin administering third doses and booster shots to priority sectors this month.

“Lalaki ang target population natin, mag-eexpand tayo,” he added.

(Our target population will be bigger, we will expand.)

To do this, the government plans to conduct house-to-house vaccinations, clusterings, and utilize schools and gyms and the like as vaccination sites.

KGA