PH to inoculate 90% of A2, A3 by Q3, prioritize ‘model cities’ in vax drive
CNN Philippines – The government has new targets for its COVID-19 vaccination program – inoculate most of the senior citizens and persons with comorbidities by the third quarter of the year.
“For A2, we are targeting 90 percent by end of July and by end of August, sana ma-reach na natin iyong 90 percent of our A3,” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said Friday in an online media forum.
This comes after over 98 percent of the A1 or 1.6 million healthcare workers received their first shots, of whom 71 percent are fully vaccinated, according to the data presented by Cabotaje.
Cabotaje, who is also chairperson of the National Vaccination Operations Center, said there are 8,274,916 senior citizens in their master list, adding 7,085,183 persons with comorbidities are in their records.
Of those in the master list, only around 10 percent of seniors have received their two doses, while 32 percent have gotten their first shots as of July 8.
Meanwhile, 15 percent of people with comorbidities completed their inoculation and 45 percent received their first doses.
Aside from medical personnel, old people and persons with comorbidities, the country’s inoculation drive prioritizes essential workers and indigents.
Cabotaje said 12.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have so far been administered – 9.5 million as first shots and 3.2 million as second doses.
‘Model cities’
She added more areas will be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination.
Currently, limited supplies had been largely earmarked for Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, Batangas, Metro Cebu and Metro Davao; as well as Bacolod, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, Baguio, Zamboanga, Dumaguete, Tuguegarao, General Santos, Naga and Legazpi.
“We are also expanding to model cities – at least two cities per region – para mas matutukan po ang kanilang jabbing, tapos iyong kanyang inventory,” Cabotaje said.
