12.1% of Filipinos fully vaccinated against COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday said 13.2 million Filipinos out of a total 109.04 million have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 since the government started rolling out the life-saving jabs in March. 

This is equivalent to 12.1% of the country's total population. Some 17.5 million or 16.05% of Filipinos have received a first dose of the vaccine, according to data as of August 23 presented by presidential spokesman Harry Roque during his regular briefing. 

A total of 303,859 shots were administered on Monday, well below the government's target of administering at least 500,000 jabs daily. 

The government is looking to fully vaccinate some 50 to 60 million people before the year is out — a downgrade from its previous goal of inoculating some 70 million Filipinos to attain herd immunity. 

To achieve the lower end of their adjusted target, officials must fully vaccinate at least 36.8 million more people — more than double the number of those it has fully inoculated so far — before yearend. 

More vaccines coming 

Roque also announced that the Philippines on Wednesday will receive a shipment of 362,700 Pfizer vaccines procured by the government. 

He added that three million Sinovac shots are also expected to arrive this week. 

— Bella Perez-Rubio