Mayor Rama gets second booster shot vs. COVID-19

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Rama got his second booster shot against COVID-19 together with other government officials in Region 7 through the Bakunahang Bayan: PinasLakas sa Dakbayan sa Sugbo at the DepEd Ecotech, Lahug, this city.

Rama got his primary series last April 20, 2021 together with other members of the City Council who were already in their senior years.

Rama got Sinovac as his primary shot, showing it all that all vaccines are safe.

It isn’t clear when Rama got his first booster shot, but he had been advocating for vaccination as a “way to liberation.”

The mayor has wanted to get his second booster shot as soon as the Department of Health already gave a go to it for seniors, but he was contracted with COVID-19 in early August of this year, but only asymptomatic.

Almost two months after his recovery, Rama availed of the second shot again knowing that vaccines’ efficacy wanes.

With Rama already getting his second booster shot, together with Department of Education 7 Regional Director Salustiano Jimenez and other regional and local officials, booster shot coverage here is expected to have a significant increase.

To further entice the eligible ones to get the booster shot for added protection, Rama announced that he has already gotten some prizes for the Bakuna Bonanza Balik-Eskwela.

Rama announced that major prizes include two houses and lots and a motorcycle while other prizes are still being finalized.

The mayor is having a second round of the raffle draw for new vaccines to better protect the school children as the full implementation of the physical classes takes place in November of this year.

Rama also heeds the call of the DOH Undersecretary, Dr. Maria Francia Laxamana, to help out the other neighboring regions in their vaccination.

Rama said he intends to be a “big brother” to others and share Cebu City’s best practices with other cities via the League of Cities in the Philippines.

Usec. Laxamana noted that Region 6 and 8 are still “crawling” to reach their target.

With Central Visayas already achieving its target, Laxamana said, it is best to help out other regions.

Laxamana emphasized that helping out other regions also prevents Central Visayas’ health care system to be overwhelmed, saying the spill-overs in those regions will have to go to Central Visayas too.

More to it, Laxamana also stressed the need to protect unprotected children, especially since vaccination for below 5 years olds are not yet given a go.

Laxamana said, there are already many cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in minors below five-years-old that it is very important for each household to be protected when the eligible ones are already vaccinated and boosted. — Decemay P. Padilla, GMR (FREEMAN)