The country’s national vaccination program has reached new milestones with over 21 million Filipinos now fully vaccinated, while the National Capital Region (NCR) has already reached 75 percent completed vaccination of its target population, according to Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr.

Pediatric vaccination of children ages 12 to 17 years old will begin with children with comorbidities, according to the Department of Health (DOH) and the Palace advised everyone to wait for the guidelines on this to be released.

The country’s general population or those who do not belong in any of the vaccination priority groups that were previously approved to be firsts in getting jabbed, will now have an opportunity to get vaccinated as well. This is after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte approved the vaccination of the general population and children 12-17 years old.

The reproduction number, or R naught, which is the number of individuals that can get infected once exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual, has been declining in the past few days.

The Palace affirms the decision of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to allow the non-use of face shields outdoors, limiting its use only in situations, places, or high-risk activities that fall under the 3Cs—closed, crowded, and close contact, said Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr.

Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque Jr. on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, reiterated that the vaccines deployed in the country are safe and effective, regardless of brand, since all have passed through the standards of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Limited face-to-face classes will soon be conducted in selected public and private schools in the country in areas with minimal risk for COVID-19, as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte has approved today, September 20, 2021, its pilot implementation.

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) approved and updated the list of considered “Red,” “Yellow” and “Green” countries/jurisdictions/territories.