Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Sunday there are still at least 3 million senior citizens who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19.
“Nakita natin ‘yung mga nabakunahan is more or less 62%. Meaning, mayroon pa tayong more or less na 3 million na senior na ‘di pa nababakunahan,” said Galvez during a virtual presser.
(We have vaccinated 62% of seniors, meaning there are 3 million who are still not getting their COVID-19 jabs.)
According to the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard, 4.4 million seniors received their first dose, while 5.1 million as of November 27. The same report showed 5.1 million older adults were fully vaccinated. Meanwhile, 48,491 senior citizens received booster shots.
Vaccine czar Galvez said local government units are providing incentives and house-to-house vaccination for the elderly.
Galvez noted that restricting unvaccinated senior citizens from going out would also encourage them to get COVID-19 jabs.
“May tinatawag na mandating senior citizens na kapag i-allow natin yung mga vaccinated seniors puwede silang lumabas and then we will restrict those senior na di makapag-vaccinate,” Galvez stressed out.
(We have what we call mandating seniors to allow vaccinated seniors to go out and restrict those who are not.)
3-day nationwide vaccination drive begins – Galvez
Meanwhile, the massive three-day vaccination drive in the Philippines started today, November 29.
“Handang-handa na tayo at talagang excited na ang ating mga LGUs (local government units) at volunteers,” said Galvez in an interview with Unang Balita.
The official said the government opened around 8,000 vaccination sites and deployed 20,000 volunteers, including the uniformed service.
“Meron po tayong sapat sa 15 million. Ang target po natin ay more or less 3 million per day or at least 10 million ang isa sa pinaka-target natin sa buong three-day vaccination. So, nakita po natin, walang pagkukulang at naka-ready na rin ‘yung aming national warehouses at tsaka meron tayong mga nakalaan na mga vehicles sa mga regions natin,” he said.
(We have enough vaccine supplies for 15 million. Our target is more or less 3 million per day or at least 10 million by the end of the three-day vaccination. As we can see, there are no shortcomings, and we have readied our national warehouses and vehicles in different regions.)
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