GET COVID-19 BOOSTER SHOT, PRESIDENT DUTERTE TELLS FILIPINOS PHL BREACHES 6 MILLION MARK OF ADMINISTERED COVID-19 VACCINE DOSES — VACCINE CZAR

Get COVID-19 booster shot, President Duterte tells Filipinos

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday appealed to those who had the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine to return for the booster shot to make them fully immunized from the virus.

In his weekly public address on government response to the pandemic, President Duterte said he wants authorities to convince people to get the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine to ensure protection.

“Mahirapan talaga akong magkumbinse sa Pilipino, lalo na ‘yong matigas ang ulo. Kindly follow instruction. Hindi naman mahirap ‘yan eh. You find time at your convenience na bumalik doon pumila at magpabakuna ng tinatawag nilang second booster. Iyon ang magbigay sa inyo ng more or less a good protection,” he said.

“I want the authorities and the LGUs to find out why this is happening and to take steps to return to their --- maimbiyerna sila na madala ng mga barangay captain pati mayors. Kindly help us ferret out the persons who have not received the second booster until now.”

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people after holding a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Compound in Davao City on June 7, 2021. JOEY DALUMPINES/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

to get the full dose, saying although it took some time for the country to get its share of the jabs, vaccine shipments now come in as western countries wrap up their vaccination drive and after they expressed willingness to share their inventories.

COVID-19, he said “is a very toxic thing” and it can contaminate people again, therefore a complete regimen is needed. Despite getting the shot, he advised the public to continue adhering to governmentmandated protocols such as wearing of mask, frequent handwashing, and observing physical distancing. with your cooperation, matatapos ito mas madali,” he stressed.

On Sunday, the Philippines received another one million doses of CoronaVac manufactured by Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech.

The shipment is part of the 10 million doses that the government expect to receive this month, according to vaccine coordinator Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.

Other deliveries expected this June will come from drugmakers Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Gamaleya Research Institute and Moderna. PND

Phl breaches 6 million mark of administered COVID-19 vaccine doses -vaccine czar

Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (PAPRU) and National Task Force against Coronavirus Disease-2019 (NTF COVID-19) chief implementer Carlito Galvez Jr. listens as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over the meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Compound in Davao City on June 7, 2021. JOEY DALUMPINES/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

The Philippines has breached the six million mark of administered COVID-19 vaccine doses as a result of the government’s aggressive vaccination strategy against the coronavirus, the country’s vaccine czar said.

In his report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said among those inoculated were 1.3 million healthcare workers, 1.5 million senior citizens, 1.4 million individuals with comorbidities, and over 12,200 economic frontliners.

More than 1.5 million are now fully protected, having received two doses of COVID-19 jab, he noted.

Galvez, who is also the National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief implementer, said that at present, the Philippines is administering more than 200,000 vaccine doses daily.

While the rest of the country’s adult population are being inoculated, Galvez said pediatric vaccination may not be far from sight, citing ongoing studies or approvals of vaccine brands Sinovac, Pfizer, and Moderna aimed at inoculating ages 3 to 17, 12 to 15, and 12 to 17 years old, respectively.

Eleven other vaccine brands have ongoing clinical trials for pediatric use as well, he noted.

According to Galvez, immunizing the country’s younger population, which is around 29 million, will pave the way for the reopening of face-to-face classes.

Meanwhile, the government’s massive vaccination will continue unhampered with expected vaccine

Contributed photo

deliveries in the coming months, the vaccine czar said, noting the country expects to receive one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from China’s Sinovac on June 10, one million doses on June 17, and 2.5 million doses by the end of the month. Pfizer vaccine on June 10, 250,000 doses of Moderna jabs on June 21, and two million doses of AstraZeneca on the third week of June. There will be a steady supply of vaccines throughout July, Galvez said, with the expected delivery of 4.5 million doses from Sinovac, additional one million from Moderna, one million doses from AstraZeneca, and another 4.5 million doses from Sinovac to be delivered on July 21.

Once negotiations with vaccine manufacturers and the COVAX facility are successful, Galvez said he is optimistic that Philippines will receive around 17 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines this August and an unhampered supply in the next quarter. PND

The country is also negotiating with Russia’s Gamaleya National Research Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology to ensure the delivery of 100,000 doses of the Sputnik-V vaccine on June 9, Galvez noted.

The World Health Organization-led COVAX facility, on the other hand, will donate two million doses of