Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 9) — Metro Manila has the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates while Bangsamoro has the lowest coverages so far due to its small population and the challenges in vaccine delivery, a health official said Friday.
In May, the limited vaccine supplies was largely earmarked for Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Pampanga, Batangas, Metro Cebu, and Metro Davao – collectively known as NCR+8 due to the spikes in cases.
A month later, officials added more areas to the priority list for vaccine deployment, following local officials’ appeals to send additional coronavirus shots to other localities experiencing a surge in new infections.
“Nagfocus tayo sa NCR. Most of their A1, A2 and A3, pinaka-matataas iyan na coverage. Sumusunod na po yung ating Plus 8,” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said in an online media briefing.
[Translation: We focused on NCR. Most of their A1, A2, and A3 have the highest coverages, followed by Plus 8.]
“In terms of pinakamababa (In terms of the lowest vaccination coverage), of course, (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) because the population is small. We have challenges in delivering vaccines to the BARMM but we want to assure everybody we are also giving vaccines to the BARMM,” she said.
Cabotaje said they are looking for strategies to facilitate the delivery of coronavirus vaccines to the region.
As of July 8, 12.7 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered — 9.5 million as first shots, and 3.2 million as second doses, Cabotaje said.
