By Lade Jean Kabagani 

FEAR OF NEEDLE. A young boy closes his eyes as he gets inoculated against Covid-19 at a mall in Antipolo City on Sunday (Feb. 13, 2022). Filipinos aged at least 5 years old are eligible to receive the jabs. (PNA photo by Joey Razon)

MANILA – The Philippines has already administered 130,741,152 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, with 61,058,862 Filipinos now fully vaccinated, including those who received the single-dose Janssen and Sputnik Light jabs.

Data from the National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 on Sunday showed that 52,262 children aged 5 to 11 years old have also received their first dose of the reformulated Pfizer jabs and 8,011,994 have booster shots.

NTF chief implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. previously said vaccines would help in the revival of the country’s economy and safely send children back to schools for physical classes.

The emotional and mental impact of staying mostly at home for almost two years now will also be reduced, he added.

For this month alone, the country received 5,906,550 Covid-19 doses, including the reformulated doses for the youngest age group.

The total acquired vaccines, both procured and donated, have reached 222,463,020 doses, nearly a year since the first shipment of 600,000 Sinovac doses donated by China arrived on Feb. 28, 2021. (PNA)