National COVID-19 vaccination drive gets over 5.3 million people vaxxed so far

Second day of the country’s three-day national vaccination drive at the Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium in Malolos, Bulacan. Photo by Christia Ramos

MANILA, Philippines — The government’s national COVID-19 vaccination drive has managed to vaccinate over 5.3 million vaccinees against COVID-19, an official of the Department of Health (DOH) said Wednesday.

Total vaccinations recorded on the drive’s first day on Nov. 29 were at 2.7 million while nearly 2.6 million were recorded during the second day on Nov. 30, according to DOH Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje and the DOH’s national vaccination dashboard.

Recorded vaccinations on the second day are still expected to increase as reports are still being consolidated by the national government, Cabotaje said.

The government is aiming to inoculate a total of 9 million vaccinees during the drive and Cabotaje said they are still “hopeful” that this can be achieved.

“We are still hopeful na ma-meet natin ‘yung 9 million na target but just in case we will be unable to reach it, this is a record that is already high,” she said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

The government initially aimed to inoculate 15 million vaccinees during the three-day drive but recalibrated its target to nine million.

It then eyes to hold another massive vaccination drive from Dec. 15 to 17.

/MUF