Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 7) — The government will hold its next mass COVID-19 vaccination drive on March 10 to 12 targeting 1.8 million people, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. said on Monday.
Galvez said the fourth phase of the National Vaccination Days dubbed “Bayanihan, Bakunahan Part IV” will be another three-day campaign aimed at inoculating those aged 12 and above in all regions.
It was clarified, however, that the local government units may still vaccinate 5- to 11-year-olds but they would not be counted as part of the accomplished target.
“The accomplishment will be counted as part of the cumulative, however, for the (National Vaccination Days), only the accomplishment for the 12 years and above will be counted,” Galvez said in his presentation during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People.
The program will prioritize booster doses in the health and economic sector, individuals whose second doses are due or have missed doses, the remaining members of the target elderly population who have yet to complete their shots, and those aged 12 to 17 who are not yet fully immunized.
Galvez noted that the vaccination output for February has been low at only 8,795,790, compared to each of the past five months where at least 11 million doses were administered.
A total of 136,863,668 doses had already been administered. Over 63.69 million people have completed their shots, while more than 10.55 million have received their boosters.
Among the 12 to 17 age group, 8,597,558 have received their doses.
Earlier, the Department of Health reported that as of March 6, 70.76% of the target population have received their doses, as well as 74.22% of the target A2 (elderly) population.
