As the Philippines has started to inoculate essential workers and indigents, an expert said on Thursday, June 17, that population protection is achievable by the fourth quarter of 2021.
During the Laging Handa briefing, Health Technology and Assessment Council Dr. Carin Alejadria said population protection happens when vaccination leads to fewer cases of people being hospitalized or dying from coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The government is eying population protection in the National Capital Region-plus 8 (NCR, Bulacan, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, Rizal, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao) by the end of the year.
Alejandria added that vaccinating those in the priority group, such as health workers, senior citizens, individuals with comorbidity, essential workers, and indigents, will help reach population protection faster.
"We believe that by opening slots for Filipinos who belong to the A4 and A5 categories, we will be able to achieve our objective of having population protection by November," Alejandria said in Filipino.
"Most Filipinos belong in the A4 and A5 categories, the number of those who will be protected against the virus will increase if this group is vaccinated," she added.
The expert said that long lines for vaccination is a good sign that more Filipinos now believe in the importance of vaccines.
However, Alejandria noted, some are still hesitant because of their preference for a certain brand, but she stressed that all vaccines that have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are safe and effective.
As of June 13, the country has fully inoculated 1.8 million people or less than two percent of the Philippines' 110 million population.