カリート・ガルベス長官は、フィリピンに納入される中国シノバック社のワクチンの大部分が地方に送られることを発表しました。合計300万人分のワクチンのうち特に大量の割り当てを受けるのは、新規症例が増加しているカラバルソン地域のようです。

メトロ・マニラ評議会を率いるパラニャーケ市のエドウィン・オリバレス市長によると、首都圏では対象者の45％が2回目の接種を終えており、80％が1回目を接種済みのようです。ガルベス氏はまた、フィリピン総合病院のデータを引用し、ワクチンはコロナウイルスの重症化を防ぐのに有効であると繰り返し述べています。

一方、感染症の専門家であるRontgene Solante博士は、シノバックで2回目の予防接種を完了した人々（特に高齢者や免疫力の弱い方々）にワクチンの追加接種を行う必要があると述べています。2回目の接種から6～8カ月後には、シノバックで懸念される変異株に対する効果が低下するというデータが出ているからだといいます。そのため、ブースター投与が推奨されています。

Provinces to get bulk of fresh delivery of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines: Galvez

MANILA — The bulk of COVID-19 vaccines from Chinese manufacturer Sinovac set to arrive in the Philippines Tuesday will go to the provinces, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez said.

Among the provinces that will receive huge allocations of the total 3 million Sinovac doses are those in the Calabarzon region, which have been experiencing a rise in new COVID-19 cases.

“Ibibigay natin ito sa mga probinsiya, lalo na sa Cavite, Laguna,” he said.

(We will give these vaccines to the provinces, especially to Cavite, Laguna.)

“Ito ‘yong ipinangako natin na ishi-shift na natin ang focus natin sa mga LGU (local government unit) sa probinsiya,” he added.

(This is part of our promise to shift focus on LGUs in the provinces.)

Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez, who heads the Metro Manila Council, earlier said the National Capital Region had fully vaccinated 45 percent of its target population while 80 percent have received their first dose.

Galvez also reiterated that vaccines are effective in preventing critical COVID-19 cases, citing data from the Philippine General Hospital.

“Sa lahat ng with complete vaccination, walang critically intubated,” he said.

(Among those who have been completely vaccinated, no one has been critically intubated.)

Infectious disease specialist Dr. Rontgene Solante, meanwhile, said there is a need to give booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable individuals who have been fully vaccinated with Sinovac jabs.

“Data regarding waning protection against variants of concern with Sinovac 6 to 8 months after the 2nd dose is evolving. Thus, a booster dose is recommended,” Solante said in a text message.

“We can’t ignore the data regarding Sinovac waning immunity… This is vital among [health care workers] and those who are elderly and immunocompromised,” he added.

The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) also hoped that frontliners would be prioritized once the World Health Organization and the Department of Health allow booster shots.

The government has so far administered more than 33 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, of which 19.3 million are partially immunized.

Over 13.7 million, meanwhile, have been fully vaccinated against the respiratory disease.

The government expects 25 million more COVID-19 vaccine doses to arrive in the Philippines this September and 29.5 million more in October.