More than seven million individuals age 12- to 17-years-old have acquired protection against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) through vaccination.
This was revealed by vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. during the public address of President Duterte on Monday night, Dec. 13.
So far, the government has administered 92 million doses with a daily vaccination output of 640,000 doses.
“This week, we are about to breach 100 million doses administered. Ang magandang
significant headway po, Mr. President, is ‘yung vaccination ng (The significant headway, Mr. President, is the vaccination of] minors with more than seven million already received the first dose,” he added.
Out of those number, around 2.1 million children came back at the vaccination centers for their second dose, making them fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
“ustong-gusto na po ng mga kabataan at saka ng kanilang mga magulang na mabakunahan na po ang ating mga minors (Our youths and their parents really want the minors to be vaccinated) so that they can start already the face-to-face program. Parang nakita po natin talaga na ‘yung ating mga kabataan gusto na po ring makalabas (It’s as if the children really want to go out),” Galvez noted.
The sudden spike in the number of minors who got vaccinated could largely be attributed to the recently held “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” National Vaccination Days last Dec. 29 to Dec. 1.
“More or less 60 to 80 percent ng mga vaccination site, karamihan po doon, Mr. President, is sa mga kabataan po. (More or less 60 to80 percent of the vaccination sites, Mr. President, were intended for the children),” Galvez shared.
A second round of the nationwide vaccination drive will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 15, until Friday, Dec. 17, with the government aiming to inoculate around seven million individuals.