Fourth national vaccination drive tentatively set on Mar. 10-12

FILE PHOTO: A Filipino outbound seafarer is getting a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at the Bonifacio Global City Vaccination Hub in Taguig City on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. 📷:Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — The fourth national COVID-19 vaccination drive, dubbed “Bayanihan, Bakunahan,” is tentatively set on March 10 to 12, a health official said Wednesday.

“Ang (Our) tentative date natin is March 10. So, that will be Thursday, Friday, and Sabado (Saturday),” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

The theme of the fourth Bayanihan, Bakunahan is “March to Vaccinate” as the government will bring the immunization to houses and workplaces to make it more accessible, Cabotaje explained.

To date, around 63 million individuals in the country are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Cabotaje said that of the figure, only one-third got their booster dose.

“‘Yung ating data ay about 36.7 million ang due for boosters. Ang ating na-booster ay 10 million,” she said.

(Our data shows that about 36.7 million individuals are due for boosters. Only 10 million were administered with a booster.)

The health official explained that most of the fully immunized individuals do not see the urgency of getting a booster dose.

The first Bayanihan, Bakunahan was held on November 29 to December 1 with some areas extending until December 3.

The second national vaccination drive commenced on December 15 while some areas started at a later date as they reel from the impact of Typhoon Odette, the strongest tropical cyclone that hit the country in 2021.

The third Bayanihan, Bakunahan, was held from February 10 to 11 and stretched until February 18.

JPV