MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines reached nearly six million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered by first week of June, government figures showed on Monday.
Latest statistics by the Department of Health showed 5,965,651 doses of the jab given to Filipinos, months since the much-needed inoculation efforts began.
That would translate to 1,544,332 individuals now fully vaccinated out of the government's own target of 50 to 70 million this year.
Some 4,421,319 have received their first dose. DOH reported too that the country was averaging 112,621 doses administered per day last week.
Vaccines currently in the country are: Sinovac, Sputnik V, and AstraZeneca and Pfizer from the World Health Organization-led COVAX Facility.
The release of the numbers came as vaccination began for those in the A4 priority list, or about 35 million essential workers in government, private, and informal sectors.
Among health workers or those on top of the list, 827,089 have completed their shots, while 1,398,710 got their first dose.
Some 368,387 elderly, meanwhile, are now also fully vaccinated while 1,537,365 are with their initial dose. Those with comorbidities were at 343,297 with complete with shots, while 1,472,985 with their first dose.
This month, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said nearly 10 million more doses may arrive in the country. The vaccinations became more crucial as government seeks to arrest a surge in COVID-19 infections that began in March that returned the capital region and nearby provinces to a stricter lockdown.
Health authorities continue to report over 5,000 daily additional cases, with the overall count at 1,269,478. There have also been 21,898 deaths, and 1,188,243 recoveries.