7.69% of Filipinos fully vaccinated against COVID-19
MANILA, Philippines — Latest figures from the National Task Force Against COVID-19 show that 8.39 million of the Philippines' total 109 million population have been fully vaccinated since the government started rolling out the life-saving jabs in March.
This is equivalent to 7.69% of the population. Another 11.61 million Filipinos — 10.64% of the population — have received one of two doses needed for full vaccination as of July 30.
The task force said it also hit on Friday its target of administering 10 million jabs this month, bringing the total number of doses administered nationwide to over 20 million.
To reach herd immunity, the government must fully vaccinate another 62.31% of the population.
Having walked back its target for achieving herd immunity by yearend, the government is now aiming to inoculate 50 to 60 million Filipinos, with a focus on Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Metro Manila, Pampanga and Rizal or the so-called "NCR plus 8" areas.
OCTA Research last month said that this target could be reached by Christmas for as long as the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19, which is driving a surge in neighboring countries, is kept out of the Philippines.
Local transmission of the Delta variant, however, was confirmed over a week ago.
On Friday, President Rodrigo Duterte — finally heeding the calls of experts, business leaders, and city mayors — announced that the National Capital Region will be placed under enhanced community quarantine from August 6 to August 20.
NTF spokesperson Restituto Padilla Jr. on Saturday told state-run TV that the government is looking to ramp up vaccination in Metro Manila during the two-week lockdown but is still in the process of crafting guidelines.
The Department of Health later the same day logged another 8,147 COVID-19 infections, marking the second day in a row that new cases breached the 8,000-mark.
— Bella Perez-Rubio
- Latest
- Trending
