MANILA, Philippines — Authorities on Monday said the country has administered 11,708,029 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, four months since the crucial inoculation efforts began.
Official figures as of July 4 showed there are now 2,868,905 Filipinos fully vaccinated, which is around 2.6% of the country's estimated 110 million population. Meanwhile, 8,839,124 have received their initial dose.
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Jabs part of the Philippines' rollout are: purchased doses of Sinovac, Sputnik V, and Moderna, as well as AstraZeneca and Pfizer from the COVAX facility co-led by Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization and CEPI.
[VACCINE ROLLOUT UPDATE: 05 July 2021]
— Department of Health (@DOHgovph) July 5, 2021
As of 04 July 2021, 6PM, a total of 11,708,029 doses have already been administered. 8,839,124 have received their first doses while 2,868,905 have already completed the required 2 doses. pic.twitter.com/xg2pXsMECv
The number of individuals who have completed their vaccine remains a fraction of the targeted 50 to 70 million this year by government. But efforts have picked up the pace since it started in March.
In the last seven days, officials said the country had a daily average of 254,141 inoculations.
Vaccinations remain for those in the priority list. Numbers showed 1,156,220 health workers are now fully vaccinated, with 1,714,313 with their initial shot.
Some 788,630 senior citizens also completed their shots, while 2,524,204 got their first dose. The figure among persons with comorbidities are: 897,719 fully vaccinated and 2,993,197 with their first shot.
Last month, the pandemic task force opened inoculations for essential workers, which count about 35 million in the said sub-priority group.
By July 4, there were 26,109 frontline workers complete with their vaccine, and 1,350,979 with their initial dose.
Some cities also recently began vaccinations for members of the indigent population. There are now 227 individuals from the list with two doses, and 256,431 with their first.
As the number of Filipinos with vaccine against COVID-19 grow, an independent panel of experts warned that those with only first dose should remain cautious.
OCTA fellow Guido David said over the weekend that some may have the tendency to go out already "as if it was the old normal," but their protection remains incomplete.
He remarked as well that the country should reach 25 to 30% covered by the jabs first before relaxing more restrictions. With a small number of persons vaccinated, David said it would be early to say that efforts are now having an effect in the country, apart from reducing case fatality rates.