The Philippines is kicking COVID vaccinations "to the max" in November, eyeing to vaccinate five million people over three days, the country's immunization czar said Thursday, with roughly half the innoculation target achieved before the year ends.
Likening the operation to an election day, Sec. Carlito Galvez said classrooms will be converted into vaccination sites and all available healthcare workers will be on deck, Galvez told ANC.
"Gagawin natin, vax to the max na tayo. At the same time magkakaroon na tayo ng house-to-house and also ang gagawin natin is by clustering," he said.
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The government eyes to vaccinate at least 50 million people before Christmas, with 27.7 people fully vaccinated as of Nov. 2. The original target was 70 million.
Authorities aim to deliver up to 1.5 million jabs daily starting Nov. 20 by utilizing malls, universities, schools, gyms, camps and function halls, Galvez said. The highest number of vaccnes administed in a single day was 724,294 jabs in October, he said.
Galvez said some 88.13% of the target population in Metro Manila had been vaccinated versus the target 90%.
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Galvez said he was in favor of mandatory COVID vaccination in the country. He said vaccinations could be tied to the distribution of 4Ps or conditional cash transfers.
Variant-driven outbreaks this year were more lethal to the unvaccinated.
Vaccine hesitancy is high in the provinces due to misinformation, said Galvez.
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