INOCULATIONS with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine increased by almost 50 percent to an average of 208,809 a day in the past seven days from the 140,985 daily average in the previous week, the National Vaccine Operations Center reported Monday, June 21, 2021.

As of June 20, 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) said a total of 2,153,942 Filipinos have been fully vaccinated out of the 6,253,400 who have received one dose.

Among the fully vaccinated individuals, 1,067,630 are health workers, 553,257 are senior citizens, 524,699 are persons with comorbidities and 8,086 are essential workers.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said inoculations were highest at 322,929 on June 15.

Roque said the government is confidents of vaccinating at least 70 million people by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, DOH Undersecretary Abdullah Dumama Jr. said there is no favoritism in the distribution of Pfizer vaccines.

He said Metro Davao and Metro Cebu each received 210,000 doses of the vaccine.

He denied that Davao, which is the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte, received the biggest allocation.

”Wala pong pagkakaiba ‘yung doses na naibigay sa Cebu at sa Davao... Wala hong favoritism dito," he said.

"Hindi po ito pang Davao City lang. Sa Davao region po ito at yung mga karatig pook," he added.

Metro Davao and Metro Cebu are part of the NCR Plus 8, priority area for the vaccination program which is also composed of the National Capital Region, and the provinces of Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga and Rizal.

DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said these areas received a high number of Pfizer vaccines because they have the ultra-low cold storage facilities needed for storage of the vaccine.

She said only Mimaropa, Bicol, Soccsksargen, Caraga and the Bangsamoro have yet to receive Pfizer vaccines due to lack of facilities. (SunStar Philippines)