Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said Friday 23 cities in the country have reached population protection against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
“I would like to correct that it is not yet herd immunity but population protection because more than 70 percent of the target population (priority groups) were already vaccinated. Herd immunity is based on actual population,” Año said in a message to reporters.
He said the country still needs to vaccinate individuals in other local government units (LGUs) to attain protection for everyone.
“Just the same, we have to inoculate other areas/LGUs to ensure the protection of everyone. At least in those 23 cities, protection against Covid-19 and safety of people living there are ensured,” he added.
These highly urbanized areas include San Juan City, Mandaluyong City, Pateros, Las Piñas City, Parañaque City, Manila, Muntinlupa City, Makati City, Valenzuela City, Quezon City, Navotas City, Pasig City, Marikina City, Taguig City, Malabon City, and Caloocan City in Metro Manila, the lone municipality of Pateros in the National Capital Region (NCR), and Baguio City, Angeles City, Iloilo City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and Davao City in the provinces.
In a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte on December 6, Año said the “National Vaccination Days” from November 29 to December 1 were successful as a total of 8,090,078 doses were administered to qualified individuals during the period, which is equivalent to a vaccination accomplishment rate of 89.9 percent.
He bared that the 89.9 percent vaccination rate accomplishment was based on the government’s committed target of 8,998,947 individuals.
In terms of the highest number of Covid-19 doses administered to the target individuals, Año said Calabarzon came out on top with 1,147,392 doses, followed by Central Luzon and Central Visayas with 838,270 and 649,195 jabs, respectively.
With regards to the committed target, he noted that the Ilocos region topped the list with 322.66 percent, followed by the NCR (172.23 percent) and the Cordillera region (158.56 percent).
At the provincial level, Año said 14 out of the 81 provinces accomplished full inoculation of 50 percent or more of their target constituents.
These provinces are Abra, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Batanes, Quirino, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Laguna, Siquijor, Biliran, and Camiguin.
“Ang susunod pong target natin sa December 15, 16, 17 ay mapataas pa natin ang second dose (target individuals) para maging fully vaccinated (Our next target on December 15, 16, 17 is to increase the administration of second doses to target individuals to make them fully vaccinated),” he said.
Source: Philippines News Agency
