The Philippine government is aiming to vaccinate as many people as possible by November to achieve herd immunity in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. said on Tuesday.
This recalibrated goal is due to the anticipated shortage of vaccine supply that a nationwide herd immunity requires.
“Kung nakikita natin na realistically, we will have a shortfall of supply, we need to strategize that we will get the same effect,” Galvez said in a briefing. “We can have the herd immunity sa NCR and the plus six provinces around NCR by November.
Still aiming to administer anti-coronavirus vaccines to 70 million Filipinos this year, the government still needs to set a “realistic” range that at least 50 to 70 million will get vaccinated, he added.
“With the constrictions of the global market, lalo na ‘yung nangyayari sa India na nandoon ‘yung 30 million natin na mga vaccine na kinuha, there’s a possibility talaga na magkaroon ng delay,” Galvez said.
India’s COVID-19 situation is expected to slow the arrival of the 30 million Covovax doses developed by US drugmaker Novavax and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
