Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. admitted that only 50 to 60 percent of the population would complete the vaccine against COVID-19 by 2021.
This is below the high-end target of 77 million Filipinos, or 70 percent of the population needed to achieve herd immunity.
On target, only 27.3 million still have the complete vaccine against the disease, while 31.9 million have the first dose.
“Pinapaalalahanan lang namin ang LGU (local government unit) that this (vaccination) is already their role. We want to encourage them to be more creative and efficient in their rollout and distribution of COVID vaccine,” said Galvez.
This past week, vaccination against COVID-19 in the country accelerated slightly, hitting an average of more than half a million doses per day.
But it is also far from the target of vaccinating 1 million to 1.5 million doses per day.
In the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, where the population is least vaccinated, vaccine hesitancy and vaccination in remote areas such as islands are a big challenge.
“Tina-tap na rin natin ‘yong mga mosque, ito ‘yong religious site, para magbigay ng adbokasiya ‘yong religious leaders para i-encourage ‘yong mga tao na magpabakuna,” said Bangsamoro Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo.
Galvez hopes that vaccination will accelerate when COVID-19 vaccination opens to everyone aged 12 and above.
At present, only those aged 12 to 17 with comorbidities in Metro Manila are vaccinated against the disease.
Only 50-60 pct of population can be vaccinated by 2021: Galvez
Navotas City plans to begin vaccinating 12 to 17-year-olds without comorbidities on Tuesday if the number of eligible minors who will take vaccination slots is still insufficient.
It was earlier than the scheduled Nov. 3 National Vaccination Operations Center schedule for initiating vaccination rollout in the general pediatric population.
“‘Yong 300 slots namin, ang nagamit lang yata ng may comorbidity is 60,” said Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco.
But on Wednesday, the vaccination of minors in Navotas will be further expanded, where two more sites will be added from the current one.
The government expects Pfizer also to apply to use its COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5 to 11.
This is after the US Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization to the Pfizer vaccine for that age group.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.