The government is unlikely to attain its target to inoculate five million Filipinos in the third round of its "Bayanihan Bakunahan" program, a Department of Health (DOH) official said on Thursday.

"We only reach about 2.6 million and we only have two days left, today and tomorrow. We need to rush this. We might not be able to reach the five million target," Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said during the ''Laging Handa'' virtual public briefing.

"The acceptance, especially the booster, is still slow. They see that this is important but there is lack of urgency. People do not see the need to immediately get their booster dose," she added.

Cabotaje said as of February 16, a total of 61.9 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated and 9.3 million have received booster shots.

She noted that the regions with low and slow vaccination, especially for booster doses are the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Soccsksargen.

"Although the vaccine hesitancy has decreased, we need to tell them that there is urgency in vaccination. We are looking at Region VII although there is improvement after Typhoon'' Odette''. And then Region VIII and Region V. Hopefully, we will be able to accelerate the vaccination in the remaining two days," she added.

However, Cabotaje noted that there is a good turnout for the vaccination of 5 to 11 year olds which started its nationwide rollout on Monday.

"We have recorded an average of 55,000 daily doses administered," she said.

Cabotaje said the government has vaccinated a total of 263,932 doses for children aged 5 to 11 year olds nationwide and only eight cases of non-serious adverse events have been recorded.

"There was no serious adverse side effect but there are eight cases of non-serious adverse events among the kids that we have vaccinated," she said.

"Most of them experience rashes, itchiness in their throat, pain in the parts where the vaccine was administered, fever and vomiting," she added. Robina Asido/DMS