MANILA -- Achieving 54 million completed jab rate by the end of the year is doable, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has said, as he reported 38.1 million complete administered doses of COVID-19 jabs.
Reporting during President Duterte’s weekly “Talk to the People” aired Tuesday morning, Duque said the 38.1 million complete administered doses represent 49.48 percent of the 77.1 million target population.
With the 56.7 million first doses administered, the government has surpassed its target, the health chief said, adding the actual target is to administer 54 million doses by the end of November.
“So ‘yung pangalawang atin pong pinupuntirya by the end of December or this year ay makamit natin ang 54 million completed vaccination ng atin pong mga kababayan,” he told the President.
Duque congratulated the National Vaccine Operations Center and the National Task Force Against COVID-19 for the successful National Vaccination Program.
“At naniniwala po kami ni Secretary Galvez; Secretary Vince Dizon, ang atin pong chair ng National Vaccine Operations Center, na kaya po natin maabot ang ating 54 million completed jab rate by the end of the year,” he said.
With the celebration of the holiday season, the health secretary advised Filipinos to be extra cautious with the possible entry of COVID-19 Omicron variant to the Philippines.
The public must continue adhering to government-mandated health protocols such as wearing of masks, maintaining hand hygiene, physical distancing and getting COVID-19 shot whenever possible.
“Hangad natin na magkaroon ng ligtas na Pasko at makakamit po natin ito sa patuloy na pagsunod sa minimum public health standards at pagbabakuna lalo na’t nananatili pa rin ang banta ng COVID at iba’t ibang variants,” Duque said.
“At panghuli, patuloy naming hinihikayat ang lokal na mga pamahalaan na ipagpatuloy ang active case-finding, pag-iimbestiga sa mga case clusters, at pagbabakuna lalo na sa mga high-risk groups upang mapanatili natin ang ating mababang kaso.”
This week, the country logged 526 average daily cases, lower by 41 percent compared to the previous week. Also, most of the country’s regions are under minimal risk classification. (PND)
