Whole-of-nation approach important to win fight vs COVID — Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — “It is very important for us to take a whole-of-nation approach to win against coronavirus that has sorely plagued our country for almost two years.”

This was President Rodrigo Duterte’s remark during the launching of the three-day national COVID-19 vaccination drive dubbed Bayanihan, Bakunahan.

The Bayanihan, Bakunahan is set on November 29 to December 1 with an aim to administer nine million COVID-19 vaccines to immunize 54 million Filipinos by year end.

“This is our single biggest push to fast-track vaccination and reach our target of 70 percent population protection nationwide,” Duterte said during the launch of the event at SM City Masinag in Antipolo City, Rizal.

“By the end of 2021, we expect to fully vaccinate a total of 54 million Filipinos. We also aim to inoculate 80 percent of the population of minors aged 12 to 17 years, and complete the booster shots for those belonging to A1, A2, and A3 sectors,” he added.

The president lauded the Department of Health, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 for the “successful” inoculation campaign and collaboration with the private sector.

Duterte called on Filipinos anew to get an anti-COVID-19 shot and continue complying with health protocols to combat the coronavirus.

“On this note, I call on every Filipino for your continued cooperation in fighting against COVID-19 by getting vaccinated and continuing to follow our minimum public health standards,” he urged.

“With God’s abiding grace and with our genuine malasakit (concern) for our fellow Filipinos, we will overcome this pandemic and come out stronger and better as a nation,” Duterte further said.

The government is set to conduct another national vaccination days on December 15 to 17.

As of November 28, the country has fully inoculated 35,678,774, accounting for 46.25 percent of the target population. Meanwhile, 45,430,089 people or 58.89 percent of the target have received their first dose.

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