MANILA - Government should buy more COVID-19 vaccines that work against the Delta variant, a public health advocate said Thursday.

More than half or 54 percent of the country's procured vaccine supply is composed of Sinovac jabs, which does not seem to protect against the more transmissible variant, said Dr. Tony Leachon.

• Moderna may be superior to Pfizer against Delta; breakthrough odds rise with time

He said nations such as Indonesia, Thailand that began their vaccination program with Sinovac has since bought other vaccines.

"Sinasabi lang natin maaari ba tayong umorder (ng ibang vaccine brand) kasi ang ibang countries naglilipat na ng bakuna para i-address ang Delta variant po," he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo.

(We're just asking if we can order other brands because countries are switching their vaccines to address the Delta variant.

"Kailangan ho magstock tayo nito kasi ayaw ho natin maiwan tayo dito pag bumulusok pataas ang (mga kaso ng) Delta variant."

(We need to stock up on these vaccines because we don't want to be left behind when Delta variant cases surge.)

The country needs to fully vaccinate 85 to 90 percent of its population to achieve herd immunity, Leachon added.

The Philippines has so far fully inoculated 13.9 million people, while 19.7 million have yet to receive their second dose as of Tuesday, according to government data.

• Nations need to vaccinate 85 percent of population vs COVID-19: WHO
• Presence of COVID-19 Delta, Lambda variants in PH worrying - expert

Leachon said he first made the proposal before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee last Friday as he again denied vaccine czar Secretary Galvez' claim that he was "only posturing" to become the country's next health secretary.

• Ex-govt adviser Leachon denies claims he wants health chief position

"I was just saying dapat siguro maghanda tayo for the future considering po sa ngayon mababa pa rin ang vaccine rate natin (sa) national," he said.

(I was just saying we should prepare for the future considering our national vaccination rate is still low.)

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv