DOH: Don’t be complacent despite vaccine rollout
THE Department of Health yesterday warned the public against complacency in the fight against COVID-19 despite the rollout of millions of doses of vaccines over the past months.
Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III said vaccine optimism is illusory since the country still does not have enough vaccines.
“Yeah, there are vaccines, fine. But are there enough vaccines? No. We only have less than what? 10% of our vaccine given? And only 2 to 2.5% of our people have completed their inoculation,” he pointed out.
In May, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said the government expected to achieve its target of herd immunity in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces by November.
Galvez said the country would need 15 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines per month to inoculate 70 percent of the population and achieve herd immunity before the end of the year.
He said that 25,000 to 50,000 vaccinators would be needed to help administer the drugs against COVID-19. Five thousand vaccination sites must also administer 100 COVID-19 jabs per day.
There are around 110 million Filipinos, and the government is eyeing to vaccinate 70% of the population to achieve herd immunity. The government has so far administered a total of 5,965,651 doses nationwide.
