House leader hails national COVID-19 vaccination drive

Ilocos Norte residents receive the COVID-19 vaccine on the first day of the national vaccination drive on Monday, Nov. 29. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Norte provincial government)

 MANILA, Philippines — The government’s COVID-19 national vaccination campaign was successful even of it fell short of its target of vaccinating  nine million individuals, Speaker Lord Allan Velasco said Sunday.

“The country’s vaccination campaign is already showing clear signs of success as the number of infections is falling significantly in the past weeks,” Velasco said in a statement issued on Saturday. 

The “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” from November 29 to December 3 vaccinated a total of 7.6 million individuals from November 30 up until December 3.

 “We have enough stockpile of vaccines to provide for every Filipino, and more still on the way for booster shots. Let us keep the momentum going especially as we enter the most joyous season of the year,” Velasco added.

Latest government data showed that 37.3 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The second leg of the national COVID-19 vaccination drive will be on December 15 to 17.

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