(FILE PHOTO) Vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. gives an update to President Rodrigo Duterte during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malacañang Palace on October 6, 2021. KING RODRIGUEZ/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Some 5.2 million minors aged 12 to 17 are now fully vaccinated, meaning they have already received their second dose against COVID-19, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Friday.
“Natutuwa kami na ‘yung mga kabataan, mahigit eight million na ang nabakunahan at may 5.2 million na naka-second dose na,” he said in a press briefing in Manila City.
(We are happy that over eight million minors have already been vaccinated, with 5.2 million having received their second dose.)
He said the government is currently negotiating with Pfizer-BioNTech to deliver early its procured P15 million doses, which would be meant for minors with age ranging from 5 to 11 years.
“Hopefully dumating ‘yun 2nd week or 3rd week ng January at magsisimula tayo kaagad ‘pag once na nakuha natin ‘yun,” he said.
(We hope it will be delivered by the 2nd or 3rd week of January and we will start vaccinating once we receive the doses.)
Galvez reported that the number of fully vaccinated individuals in the country has reached 50 million, which is four million short of the government’s goal of inoculating 54 million individuals before 2021 ends.
However, he assured that the government will be able to vaccinate the remaining four million individuals in one week in January.
The government is currently focused on vaccinating 1.5 million senior citizens who have yet to receive a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. It is also prioritizing administering booster shots to health workers, senior citizens and persons with comorbidities.
Galvez said the government is already making preparations, particularly in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon, for the possible surge of COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant.
“We see na ‘yung NCR, Region 3 at Region 4 parang isang gridlock ‘yan. Kung, just in case, talagang mag-overwhelm din sa ‘tin ‘yung Region 3 at Region 4, ipe-prepare din namin sila,” he said.
(We see that the three regions are like one gridlock. Just in case cases would be overwhelming in Region 3 and 4, we are also preparing them.)