DOH-7: Cebu needs to ramp up vaccination

CEBU, Philippines —  Department of Health-7 chief pathologist Dr. Mary Jean Loreche said yesterday that there is a need to ramp up the vaccination in Cebu province.

This after data showed some LGUs is short of their targets, a reason why Loreche said they are still in alert level 2.

For the 18-59 vaccination program in south Cebu, there are 652,834 eligible vaccinees for this age group of which 366,207 were vaccinated with the first dose and 384,479 were vaccinated for the second dose while 31,511 received a booster shots.

In the same age bracket in north Cebu, of the 711,310 eligible vaccinees, 434,732 and 444,235 received the first and second dose, respectively, while 54,881 had their booster shots.

 South Cebu senior citizen (A2) vaccination program shows that there are 107,720 eligible vaccinees, of whom 44,031 were vaccinated with the first dose and 47,087 were vaccinated for the second dose while 6,655 received a booster shots.

 For North Cebu senior citizens 117,367 eligible vaccinees, 99,762 and 50,283 received the first and second dose, respectively, while 7,267 had their booster shots.

For south Cebu 12-17 years old vaccination program, there are 131,261 eligible vaccinees of which 77,088  were vaccinated with the first dose and 79,584 were vaccinated for the second dose.

For North Cebu 12 to 17 years old, data show 143,035 eligible vaccinees, of whom 101,432 and 101,999 received the first and second dose, respectively.

For South Cebu 5 to 11 years old vaccination program, there are 159,549 eligible vaccinees, of whom 14,211 were vaccinated with the first dose and 10,593  were vaccinated for the second dose.

As for For North Cebu 5 to 11 years old, out of 173,825 eligible vaccinees, 21,864 and 15,415 received the first and second dose, respectively.

“Actually the LGUs has done what they could by giving of incentives, having the purok level and going house to house. We really call on our countrymen for their patriotic duty to help,” Loreche said.

“There are people really who still do not believe that vaccines work and save lives. There are also those who think they don’t need it,” Loreche said when asked why there are still people who opted not to avail the vaccination program of the government. — JMD (FREEMAN)