COVID-19 booster shot target increased to over 400,000 per day –DOH

The Department of Health (DOH) increased the “PinasLakas” campaign target to more than 400,000 COVID-19 booster shots per day after the campaign failed to meet its daily goals since it started.

At a press briefing, DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said the government needed to achieve 443,892 first booster shots per day and administer jabs to 20,774 senior citizens daily to achieve the 23.8 million target on October 8.

Vergeire earlier said the campaign dubbed “PinasLakas” aimed to give booster shots to 23.8 million Filipinos within the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.

The government needs to vaccinate 397,334 individuals daily for 60 days to achieve the target, the DOH earlier said.

“Para maka-achieve tayo ng 23 million pagdating ng October 8 would be 397,000 plus per day. Pero ang atin lang pong naachieve from the day we have launched hanggang sa ngayon ay 384,000 for the first booster. At atin lang pong nagkaroon ng 17,000 for our senior citizens,” she said at a press briefing on Friday.

(For us to achieve 23 million by October 8, it would be 397,000 plus per day. But we only achieved 384,000 boosters from the day we launched the campaign until now, and at least 17,000 for our senior citizens.)

"So sa ngayon inadjust na po natin ang targets natin. For our senior citizens so that we will reach 1 million plus by October 8, kailangan na natin magbakuna ng 20,774 senior citizens per day hanggang sa makatapos ng October 8. At kailangan na natin magbakuna ng first booster shots ng 443,892 per day hanggang sa October 8,” she added.

(So for now we have adjusted our targets. For our senior citizens, so that we will reach 1 million plus by October 8, we need to vaccinate 20,774 senior citizens per day until the end of October 8. And we need to give 443,892 first booster shots per day until October 8.)

The DOH OIC, meanwhile, said a total of 15,468 vaccination sites have been created for the “PinasLakas” campaign as of August 4.

Vergeire said there were 5,484 mobile vaccination sites created, 2,814 vaccination sites in schools, 1,458 in workplaces, 529 in places of worship, 335 vaccination sites in the different markets across the country, and 281 in transport terminals.

She added that there were also vaccination sites set up in hospitals, health care centers, and malls.

More than 71.8 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of August 5, according to Vergeire.

Over 9.7 million adolescents aged 12 to 17 along with more than 4.2 million children aged 5 to 11 have been fully vaccinated in preparation for face-to-face classes, she said.

“Makilahok at sumali na po sa PinasLakas campaign makareceive tayo ng ating first booster shot sa lalong madaling panahon dahil kapag bakunado protektado,” Vergeire said.

(Participate and join the PinasLakas campaign so we can receive our first booster shot as soon as possible for us to be protected against the viral disease.) — DVM, GMA News