Over 50,000 people now fully-vaccinated in PH vs. COVID-19
More than 50,000 individuals are now fully-vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) over a month since the government launched its free inoculation program, the National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 disclosed on Wednesday, April 7.
The NTF said a total of 922,898 vaccine doses were already administered as of Tuesday, April 6. The inoculation program was launched on March 1.
Of these, 50,685 doses were administered as a second dose -- which means that its recipients are already fully-vaccinated -- while 872,213 doses were given as a first dose.
"With the country experiencing a surge in the number of cases, the government continues to secure and distribute more doses, expedite vaccination, and expand coverage to protect more Filipinos," the NTF said in a statement.
At present, the country has a total vaccine supply of 2,525,600 wherein 77 percent, or 1,936,600, have already been distributed to hospitals across the country's 17 regions.
The country is facing vaccine shortage as global supply is affected by the high demand, as well as the decision of the vaccine-manufacturing countries to prioritize the inoculation of their own population.
The supply is composed of only two brands of vaccines: the CoronaVac from Chinese manufacturer Sinovac Biotech and British-Swedish AstraZeneca.
Both CoronaVac and AstraZeneca vaccines require a second dose, which serves as a booster to reinforce the immune system response against the coronavirus, according to doctors.
The Department of Health (DOH) said that the CoronaVac vaccine is taken four weeks (28 days) apart while AstraZeneca is taken four to 12 weeks (28 days to 96 days) apart.
However, there are also single-dose vaccines such as the candidate vaccine of Janssen, the pharmaceutical arm of American drugmaker Johnson & Johnson.Â
Jannsen has already filed for an emergency use authorization (EUA) in the Philippines, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said last Monday.
Despite the added protection provided by the vaccines, the NTF reminded the public to religiously follow the minimum health protocols such as the wearing of face mask and face shield, observing social distancing, and maintaining proper hygiene to avoid catching the coronavirus.