DESPITE facing difficulties meeting daily coronavirus disease (Covid-19) booster shot targets, the Department of Health (DOH) has upped its aimed number of jabs daily to over 440,000.

In a press conference, DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said there is a need to increase the daily target booster shots administered from 397,000.

"We have adjusted our (daily) targets. We now need to give first booster shots to 443,892 per day up until October 8," said Vergeire.

"If you can recall, our target to achieve 23 million by October 8 was 397,000 per day only," she added.

The health official said the adjustment is being done despite them only administering a total of 384,000 from July 26 to August 5.

"We have not been able to reach our daily target for the PinasLakas booster campaign," admitted Vergeire.

Last month, the DOH said the Marcos Jr. administration has set a target of 23 million booster doses being jabbed during its first 100 days.

In a bid to meet the target, Vergeire said a total of 15,468 vaccination sites have already been established nationwide, as of August 4.

These include 5,484 mobile vaccination sites, 2,814 schools, 1,458 workplaces, 623 basketball courts, 529 places of worship, 335 markets, and 281 transport terminals.

Vergeire said the other vaccination sites are based in hospitals and local health centers. (HDT/SunStar Philippines)