Nursing students from the University of Pasay administer the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to A2 and A3 residents at the Pasay MOA Vaccination Center on June 18, 2021. Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA — The Philippines has administered more than 8.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines since the government began its immunization drive last March, officials said Monday.
Of the 8,407,342 doses administered as of June 20, the Department of Health and National Task Force Against COVID-19 said 6,253,400 were given as first doses while 2,153,942 were second doses. Recipients of the latter are considered fully vaccinated.
The latest total inoculation figure was higher by more than 356,000 from Friday's 8,050,711 reported on Sunday.
Among health workers (A1), 1,067,630 are already fully vaccinated. So are 553,527 senior citizens (A2), 524,699 persons with comorbidities (A3), and 8,086 economic frontliners (A4).
For the indigent sector (A5), 67,185 first doses have been administered.
Officials said the total doses administered last week, the 16th week of the vaccination program, reached a record high of 1,461,666. The program kicked off last March 1.
Photo from the Department of Health and National Task Force Against COVID-19
Earlier this month, the government opened the immunization program to those in the A4 (essential workers) and A5 (indigent population) priority groups.
Officials continued to urge eligible sectors — which also include health workers, senior citizens and people with comorbidities — to get vaccinated against COVID-19 through their local government units.
The country aims to fully vaccinate at least 58 million individuals this year to achieve herd immunity against the coronavirus.
Currently, the vaccine candidates of the following companies, which use a 2-dose regimen, are being used in the Philippines: Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Gamaleya Institute. Meanwhile, the first batch of Moderna's product, which has to be administered in two doses as well, is expected to be delivered on Sunday.
As of June 20, a total of 1,359,015 confirmed COVID-19 cases have been recorded in the Philippines, of which 57,679 are active and 23,621 resulted in deaths.
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