MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine government aims to vaccinate its entire population of 77 million adults by election day on May 9, said Acting Presidential Spokesman and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

This is to provide voters with added protection when they troop to voting precincts amid a COVID-19 pandemic that has tempered mass gatherings, including campaign sorties of 2022 electoral candidates.

“Our target, before election day, we need to fully vaccinate our entire adult population,” said Nograles during a Malacañang press briefing.

The government is optimistic about this target, with current projections showing that at the current pace of vaccinations nationwide, 77 million adults can get their full doses in 53 days or by March, two months before election day.

The country has reached a seven-day average daily rate of 797,265 doses, administering almost six million jabs during the week of January 10 to 16, reported Nograles.

At present, 55.2 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated, equivalent to 70% of the target population and around half of the total population of 110 million. The government has a month to add 20% in order to reach the target it set in October 2021 to vaccinate 70% of the total population by the start of election period in February.

Teodoro Herbosa, a medical expert advising the national government, warned that the country must tame the current COVID-19 surge in order to prevent the May elections from becoming a “super spreader” event.

Nograles said Malacañang trusts the Commission on Elections to put in place rules in voting precincts that would ensure that personnel and voters wear masks, observe physical distancing, and interact only in areas with good ventilation. – Rappler.com