More than 9,000 vaccinated vs COVID-19 in Philippines so far: official

MANILA (UPDATE)— More than 9,000 people in the Philippines have been vaccinated so far against the novel coronavirus, a senior Malacañang official said on Thursday. 

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said that as of 5 p.m. Wednesday, 9,077 people have already been inoculated with COVID-19 jabs. He said that of that number, 771 were vaccinated on the first day, 2,715 on the second day, and 5,591 on the third day of the country's vaccination program.

These individuals received the first of the 2-shot COVID-19 vaccine from Beijing-based drug maker Sinovac Biotech, in 32 inoculation sites across Metro Manila, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a televised press briefing.

Health workers are on top of the vaccine distribution priority, officials have said. 

The Philippines on Sunday received 600,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine CoronaVac. Among the hardest-hit in Asia by the pandemic, the country will receive later Thursday 487,200 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Britain's AstraZeneca.

Of the 600,000 Sinovac doses, 189,600 have been delivered to vaccination sites, including 12,000 jabs sent to Davao City and 7,200 to Cebu City, said Nograles. Vaccination activities in these 2 cities will start Thursday, he said. 
 
"Vaccines will also be delivered to the rest of the country, as we already have data with regard to the masterlisted population in the country’s 17 regions. As of yesterday, the master listed population stands at 222,783," Nograles said. 

Filipinos who are still wary of receiving the vaccines "should take their cue" from medical frontliners who have been inoculated," said the official. 

"Naiintindihan po ng ating mga doktor at mga nars ang kahalagahan ng pagbabakuna laban sa COVID-19... To triumph in the war against COVID-19, every Filipino qualified to receive the vaccine should get vaccinated. Ito po ang inyong armas laban sa COVID-19," he added. 

(Our doctors and nurses understand the importance of COVID-19 vaccination... This is the weapon against COVID-19.)

"Let us keep in mind that we are not safe until everyone is safe." 

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