The number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered in the Philippines is nearing 46 million.

Based on the National Covid-19 Vaccination dashboard as of Saturday, the Philippines has administered 45.951 million doses nationwide, with 24.39 million given as first shots and 21.561 million second doses, including the single-shot Johnson & Johnson jab.

The average daily vaccination rate in the last seven weeks stood at 355,222 doses.

National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Friday during the arrival of 883,350 Pfizer vaccine doses that about 100 million doses are arriving within this month.

He urged local government units to expedite their vaccination drives and secure more ultra-cold storage facilities that can store highly sensitive vaccines requiring sub-zero temperatures such as Sputnik V, Pfizer, and Moderna.

The country’s Food and Drug Administration already approved the Emergency Use Authorization for the administration of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to children aged 12 to 17 years, probably by October 15.

The test run will be done for two weeks.

To date, the Philippines has received 75.597 million doses, including 889,200 doses of Pfizer vaccines from the US through the COVAX Facility that arrived Saturday.

The COVAX Facility has so far provided 17.84 million doses to the Philippines.

Another 1.813 million doses of the Pfizer jab will arrive early Sunday.

“On behalf of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and from the Filipino people, we thank you for compassion and generosity. This shipment is another testament that nothing is impossible if we put all our acts together to combat this pandemic,” Galvez said during Saturday’s arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.