A total of 27,806,881 doses of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines have been administered as of August 15, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday.
The DOH said this was regardless of whether it was the first or second dose, or a single-dose vaccine.
Of the above-mentioned doses, the Health department said, a total of 18,697,647 individuals have already been vaccinated.
It added that 6,132,630 are partially vaccinated, while 12,565,017 have already gotten the complete protection of the COVID-19 vaccines.
The DOH also revealed that the total doses administered in the 24th week of the national vaccination reached 3,327,131 doses.
Those partially vaccinated were workers in frontline health services totaling 515,070; senior citizens 747,573; individuals with comorbidity 1,609,682; frontline personnel in essential sector 2,473,011 and indigent population 787,294.
As for the fully vaccinated, 1,854,154 workers in frontline health services; 3,691,663 senior citizens; 4,738,847 individuals with comorbidity; 1,883,695 frontline personnel in essential sector and 396,658 indigent population.
The DOH reminded the public to get vaccinated and continue to follow the minimum public healtb standards.
"Safety is a shared responsibility, so let us remember to properly wear our masks and face shields, observe appropriate physical distancing and proper hand washing, and ensure adequate ventilation when we are indoors," it said.
"Let’s get vaccinated when it's our turn and get the second dose as scheduled. Choose to be protected, so we can beat COVID-19 together!" the DOH added.
Meanwhile, experts are now studying which vaccine can be used as a second dose of the recipients of the Sputnik V first dose.
"Now that there are delays in the second dose, our experts, together with the government officials, are discussing what would be our options," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online forum Monday, August 16.
"For now, we cannot recommend yet what kind of vaccine can be given as second dose for Sputnik V," she added.
"We are still looking at the different vaccines available in the country and what would be most appropriate to give and partner with Sputnik V," said Vergeire.
She said the government has already written to the manufacturer and demanded that during this certain time period, these doses should be delivered to the country.
"And if they cannot deliver, they have to tell us already and advise us so that we can properly identify options for our citizens who were given the first dose of Sputnik V," said Vergeire.