Newly-appointed vaccine czar and pandemic response Chief Implementer Carlito Galvez, Jr. said that the ‘best-case scenario’ for mass rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the country is from May to July next year.
“Tinitingnan natin kung magkakaroon tayo ng best-case scenario. By May or July we will have the vaccine rollout in the Philippines. Talagang ine-ensure na safe, effective, and cost-efficient ang ating bibilhin na vaccines.”
[We are really ensuring that the vaccines we will buy are safe, effective, and cost-efficient.]
On a somber note, Galvez added that it may take as long as three years for 70 percent of the population to be vaccinated, echoing the assessment by the World Health Organization.
“In order for us to have an effective herd immunity kailangan natin ma-vaccinate is 75 million. Realistically, we can do that in two to three years. Tama po ‘yung WHO… ‘yung effective rollout is more or less by the end of 2021 or by the start of 2022,.”
[In order for us to have an effective herd immunity we need to vaccinate 75 million. Realistically, we can do that in two to three years. The WHO is right…the effective rollout is more or less by the end of 2021 or by the start of 2022.]
A few sectors will be prioritized for the free vaccines, namely medical frontliners, barangay health workers, and other allied healthcare workers; personnel from the Departments of Education and Social Welfare, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Customs; and other government agencies exposed to the virus due to their line of work. Senior citizens, and the indigent and vulnerable population will also be given priority.
