The national government targets to inoculate 58 million or 70% of 83 million people in COVID-19 hotspots to achieve herd immunity, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Monday.
Roque said of the hotspots include the National Capital Region, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Laguna, Batangas, and Rizal.
Meanwhile, the expansion areas included Region 3, Region 4, Cagayan de Oro, Baguio City, Zamboanga City, Bacolod City, Iloilo City, General Santos, Iligan City, Region 7 and Region 11, Region 10, Region 6, Region 8, Region 9, Region 2, Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 5, Region 1, Region 12 and Region 13.
The said areas have a total population of 83,829,719. The 70% of that number is 58,680,803.
“These areas are really the hotspots. It (being in these priority areas) is not a badge of honor,” Roque said.
This is just our answer to a medical fact,” he added.
The easing of lockdowns and quarantine protocols, Roque said, will be hugely dependent on the vaccine coverage.
Also read: Duque: 50M COVID-19 vaccines enough to achieve herd immunity
58 million Filipinos will be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity
“We would really have more confidence to open the economy once vaccine coverage increases,” he added.
Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez said the government can afford to reach herd immunity.
“Ang target natin jabs per day, kailangan mayroon tayong 500,000 jabs per day. Kaya po natin iyan kasi ang atin pong jabs site ay 5,000. Kung 100 jabs per day so kaya po natin iyan. So ang atin pong target magkaroon po tayo ng 3 million jabs per week, pero ang requirement po every month mayroon tayong 15 million doses per month,” he said.
Last week, DOH said that the vaccine confidence of Filipinos increased to nearly 75 percent since the country began its vaccination program against COVID-19.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the data was based on a survey on willingness to get vaccinated, conducted from March 19 to March 30 among an undisclosed number of respondents.
Around 75 percent responded in the affirmative when asked if they would be willing to be vaccinated, Vergeire said.
Around 86 percent of respondents said they believe that COVID-19 vaccines are “safe and efficacious,” Vergeirie said.
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