MANILA, Philippines — The government is confident of fully vaccinating 54 million individuals against COVID-19 during the first week of January, presidential adviser for COVID-19 response Secretary Vince Dizon said on Monday.
The government earlier failed to achieve its goal of fully immunizing 54 million individuals against the coronavirus to achieve population protection by the end of 2021.
As of January 1, around 49.7 million people are fully inoculated against COVID-19, records of the Department of Health show.
“Tayo po ay umabot ng humigit kumulang 50 million end of 2021. Ngayon, tinutulak natin ngayon at kampante tayo na ‘yung 54 million, maaabot natin ngayong first week of January,” Dizon said during the Laging Handa briefing.
(We reached more or less 50 million by the end of 2021. We are now pushing and we are confident to fully inoculate 54 million this first week of January.)
“So, alam naman natin ‘yung hirap na dinaanan natin sa iba’t ibang rehiyon, lalo na sa Region 7, sa Region 8, at ibang parte ng Mindanao dahil sa Bagyong Odette. So, kailangan habulin natin ‘yan,” he continued.
(We know the struggles that some regions faced, especially Regions 7, 8, and other parts of Mindanao due to Typhoon Odette. So, we have to keep up.)
Some local government units commenced their second national vaccination days later than other regions as they reel from the devastation caused by Typhoon Odette, the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the country in 2021.
According to Dizon, the government is also targeting to fully vaccinate 70 million individuals by the end of February or beginning of March.
“Ang target natin nandu’n pa rin, 70 million, at least one dose by end of January. Tapos end of February [or] beginning of March, hopefully umabot na rin tayo ng 70 million fully vaccinated,” he said.
Dizon also pointed out that the government should prioritize administering booster doses especially to senior citizens and persons with comorbidities as they are more vulnerable against COVID-19.
The government is also seeking to give anti-COVID shots to more children aged 12 to 17, Dizon said.
He likewise hoped to start the vaccination this month of children aged 5 to 11 years old once supply arrives.
“Hopefully, pati ‘yung five to 11 [years old], pagkakuha natin ng supply natin galing sa Pfizer ngayong buwan ng January ay masimulan na rin natin,” said Dizon.
(Hopefully, even our five- to 11-years old could be vaccinated when we receive our supply from Pfizer this month of January.)