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Presidential Adviser on Peace Process and National Task Force against Coronavirus Disease-2019 (NTF COVID-19) chief implementer, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. listens as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse in Malacañang Park, Manila on August 2, 2021. KING RODRIGUEZ/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

The country's vaccine czar has expressed optimism Monday, saying the more contagious coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Delta variant can be defeated if the government and the Filipino public act together.

"Ang nakikita po natin 'yung variant (Delta) kaya po nating i-beat 'yan. Kaya po kinakausap na po natin ang ating mga kababayan na we need to act together and we can ano, we can defeat COVID-19," Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said in a report to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

"We can beat the Delta variant when we act together. BEAT po: Bayan, Everyone Acting Together."

The government will impose a two-week lockdown in the National Capital Region (NCR) from August 6 to 20 in a bid to contain the more transmissible COVID-19 Delta variant, which is believed to trigger an uptick in the number of infections locally.

Galvez, who is also the chief implementer of the National Task Force Against COVID-19, also reported that more than 9 million Filipinos are now fully protected against COVID-19 as a result of the country's aggressive vaccination program.

Galvez said the Philippines has administered 20.8 million vaccine doses, in which more than 11 million individuals received the first jab, while 9.1 million have completed the two doses.

This makes up 12.87 percent of the targeted eligible population or 8.21 percent of the entire Philippine population, he explained.

The vaccine czar also pointed out a significant increase in the country's daily jabs, noting a weekly average of 523,000 doses with 3.6 million doses administered in the last seven days.

The Philippines has so far received a total of 34.2 million coronavirus vaccine doses and expects to get 22.7 million coronavirus jabs for the month of August.

He, however, said that in order to meet the growing monthly demand for vaccines in the regions and provinces across the country, the government must strive to deliver 25 million coronavirus vaccine doses monthly.

He also reiterated that all COVID-19 vaccines would remain free for all Filipinos, underscoring the administration's call for equitable access to vaccines and its goal of vaccinating the entire Philippine population. PND

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