Ilocos Norte residents get their COVID-19 jabs in a vaccination facility at the Robinsons Mall in San Nicolas town in December 2021. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Norte provincial government)
MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 52.4 million Filipinos are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III reported Monday night.
According to Duque, a total of 52,393,229 Filipinos have completed their COVID-19 shots. This makes up nearly 68 percent of the target population in the country.
Meanwhile, Duque said 61,902,516 have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccines — or 80.25 percent of the target population.
Further, 3,327,417 individuals have received their booster shots.
“Our vaccination rate continues to rise based on the mentioned first dose at second dose vaccination coverage,” Duque said, speaking in a mix of English and Filipino.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles earlier said the government would be increasing COVID-19 testing, vaccination, and hospital bed capacities as the country continued to grapple with record-high infections.
On Monday, the DOH recorded another all-time high increase in COVID-19 cases as it confirmed the infection of 33,169 more people in the country.
READ: PH records 33,169 new COVID-19 cases amid Omicron scare