MANILA, Philippines — Local health authorities on Tuesday reported 4,114 more COVID-19 infections, bringing the national caseload to 1,445,832.
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Active cases: 49,613 or 3.4% of the total
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Recoveries: 6,086, pushing total to 1,370,923
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Deaths: 104, bringing total to 25,296
Vaccination program: New milestones reached but NCR supply dwindles
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A total of 12 million Filipinos — 10.9% of the population — have received at least one coronavirus shot since the government launched its inoculation campaign in March, according to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 deputy chief implementer Vince Dizon.
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Dizon said around 2 million shots were administered within the last two weeks.
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As of July 4, only 2.60% of the population — 2,868,905 people — have received the two doses needed for full vaccination, per NTF data. Authorities have said that 70% of the population must be fully vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.
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But as authorities tout these milestones, Metro Manila cities are starting to feel the bite of a slowly-dwindling jab supply, forcing local governments to limit their inoculation programs' vaccine coverage or to stop them altogether.
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Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., who previously said he expects the country to have a steady supply of vaccines for the rest of the year, is now urging local governments to prioritize the use of Sinovac jabs as second doses instead of first ones.
— Bella Perez-Rubio