Cebu targets over 100,000 doses for 3rd national vax drive

CEBU, Philippines —  With still over 800 thousand unvaccinated eligible population, Cebu Province has the highest target of vaccinees for the 3rd National Vaccination Days on February 10 to 11 among all the provinces in Central Visayas.

Visayas Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC) spokesperson, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, said that Cebu Province will have at least 133,259 doses for the two-day national vaccination drive.

Cebu Province has an estimated of 2,659,045 eligible adults for the COVID-19 vaccine, 1,214,892 of them were already given first dose, including the single-dose Jahnssen vaccine, and 1,031,312 are already on the second dose.

However, there are still 859,170 individuals, including those in the 12 to 17 age group, that are yet to be vaccinated.

Loreche said they are expecting to administer more doses in Cebu Province during the third wave of the national vaccination days tomorrow and Friday.

Negros Oriental which still has 600,936 unvaccinated individuals has targeted 82,384 vaccinees for the two days. Bohol, on the other hand, has 77,669 target doses although it still has 377,189 unvaccinated individuals left while Siquijor has 9,015 left as unvaccinated and is expected to inoculate at least 6,123 doses including booster shots.

Cebu City’s target is at 58,175 doses while Lapu-Lapu is at 31,558. Mandaue is 27,33 doses; Talisay is at 7,432 doses; Naga, 7,432 doses; and Minglanilla, 8,361 doses.

Central Visayas has a total target of 467,576 doses including those for second dose and booster shots.

Most of the LGUs in Central Visayas missed the second round of the national vaccination drive due to typhoon Odette in December last year.

Loreche is confident that the LGUs in the region will be able to achieve their target with the guidance from the NVOC.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año disclosed during the Talk to the People of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte its strategies for the 3rd NDV.

Año said they are expecting LGUs to expand and activate all registered vaccination sites nationwide including the use of schools, hospitals, and private facilities.

Stakeholders with human resources for vaccination are also encouraged while mobilizing all government agencies and health care workers to participate in the two-day vaccination drive.

Vaccination processes are expected to be simplified, even allowing walk-ins and no pre-registration. — FPL (FREEMAN)