OCTA: 50% vax coverage in 7 high-risk areas needed for herd containment

OCTA Research suggests that vaccinating 50% of the population in Metro Manila and six other high-risk areas is an immediate goal to achieve herd containment against COVID-19.

The six other areas identified as high-risk include Tuguegarao, Santiago, Baguio, Cainta, Cebu, and Imus, all experiencing high COVID-19 attack rates.

Achieving this 50% vaccination coverage in these key areas will necessitate approximately 15.96 million vaccine doses for 7.98 million individuals.

The research group also recommended vaccinating 30% to 40% of populations in moderate-high risk areas and 20% to 30% in moderate risk areas.

These lower-risk areas would require an additional 7.3 million doses for moderate-high risk zones and 3.08 million doses for moderate risk zones.

OCTA projects that a nationwide rollout of 30 to 35 million vaccines by the end of 2021, distributed according to risk levels, could aid the country's recovery.

The report highlights that regions like Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, and Western Visayas have collectively accounted for 80% of new COVID-19 cases this year.