PH Gov’t Targets “Better Christmas” As It Aims For Herd Immunity This 2021
PH GOV’T TARGETS “BETTER CHRISTMAS” – A year into the coronavirus pandemic, the Philippine Government is starting to sing the same song.
Back in July 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte said the Philippines could be back to normal by December. During that time, talks of a vaccine donation from “BFF” China brought hope for Duterte. At this time, the number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines averaged at around 4,000.
“I promise you, by the grace of God, I hope by December we will be back to normal…
Let’s just wait for a vaccine. Let’s wait till December, if we can just be patient… We are not going back to a ‘new normal’. It’s going to be normal again“
However, when December 2020 came, vaccines weren’t available. Instead, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III went malling in BGC Taguig armed with a meter stick in hopes to enforce social distancing.
Now, daily COVID-19 cases breach 5,000 with new variants spreading despite the availability of vaccines. Still, hopes for a “better Christmas” in 2021 remains. According to an article from Inquirer, Vaccine Czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said:
“Ngayon ang aming declaration is we will have a better Christmas this year. Kailangan ‘yun ang target namin na we will have a better Christmas”
Furthermore, Galvez said that the government aims to inoculate 70 million Filipinos against COVID-19 in order to achieve “herd immunity”. Additionally, he believes that by 2022, the Philippines could begin its “exit strategy” to end the COVID-19 outbreak.
READ ALSO: Duterte: Philippines May Be Back To Normal By 2023
