Quezon City residents receive their COVID-19 vaccine dose at the Batasan Hills National High School on November 29, 2021, the start of the "National COVID-19 Vaccination Days". Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (UPDATE) — The Philippines ranks fourth globally on the highest daily rate of vaccinations against COVID-19 after administering 2.7 million doses on Nov. 29, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 said Friday.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque went a step further and said the country may even be ranked first in terms of vaccines administered out of its total population.
"Number one tayo kasi 110 million lang tayo [compared to] India and China na nasa 1 billion ang population. Kaya I hope we are able to sustain the momentum," he said.
(We are number one because we are only 110 million compared to India and China which has a 1-billion population. That's why I hope we are able to sustain the momentum.)
The 2.7 million single day total jabs was recorded on the first day of government's 3-day National COVID-19 Vaccination Days, which managed to inoculate a total of 7.6 million.
According to Our World in Data, ahead of the Philippines are China with 22 million doses, India with 10 million, and the United States with 3.4 million doses.
Consistent to what Duque said, Our World in Data shows the Philippines well above other countries in daily COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people in data recorded as of December 1.
Number of daily doses administered (rolling 7-day average), divided by the total population of the country. All doses, including boosters, are counted individually. From Our World in Data
Number of daily doses administered (rolling 7-day average), divided by the total population of the country. All doses, including boosters, are counted individually. From Our World in Data
Our World in Data shows in another summary that the Philippines still has a long way to go in terms of cumulative number of people vaccinated out of the country's total population.
Share of people vaccinated against COVID-19 relative to population, Dec 1, 2021. From Our World in Data
However, the national government lauded the three-day National Vaccination Days, an event dubbed "Bayanihan, Bakunahan" which allowed the country to triple its usual daily vaccination output.
Duque said the Filipino people's spirit of solidarity is a strength that should be cherished and nurtured "to finally win the way against COVID-19."
National Task Force Against COVID-19 Chief Implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito G. Galvez, Jr. and Presidential Adviser on COVID-19 Response and Deputy Chief Implementer Secretary Vince Dizon agreed with this sentiment.
“Ngayon, napatunayan ng buong bansa na magagawa natin three times halos ng pinakamataas nating output noong mga nakaraang linggo at mga araw. Kaya ibig sabihin noon, kung magsama-sama tayo, kayang-kaya natin,” said Dizon.
(Now the country has proven that we can do three times of our highest output in recent weeks and days. This means if we unit, we can do it.)
The National Vaccination Days has been extended to December 3, Friday, to maximize and sustain the event's momentum. Another 3-day vaccination event was set from Dec. 15 to 17.
In the latest data available at the National COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard of the Department of Health, over 90.2 million doses have been administered as of December 2.
Of this number, 52.4 million are first doses, while 37.3 million are second doses and single dose vaccines. Over 421,000 are booster doses.
COVD-19, COVID, pandemic, National Vaccination Day, Bayanihan Bakunahan, bakuna, booster, vaccination