VACCINE hesitancy among its senior citizens here has prompted city officials to rethink the recommendation by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the optional use of face masks.
City Health Officer Dr. Rachel Dilla said vaccine hesitancy among senior citizens is “high” and that for them it is not advisable not to wear face masks even outdoors.
“That proposal is so dependent with 1st booster dose and Covid status here. It (wearing facemasks) would still be advisable for senior citizens and those with co-morbidities,” Dilla said.
Dilla said only ten percent of the senior citizens have gotten their first booster shots out of the target of 90 percent.
She said data with the CHO showed how difficult it is to reach the target population because the senior citizens are hesitant to be inoculated.
Dilla said of the 5,361 senior citizens who would have been targeted last August 22, 2022, only 60 elderly persons were inoculated with the first booster shots.
“It’s a measly 1.14 percent coverage since the rollout of the Pinaslakas targets,” Dilla said in the office memorandum obtained by Gold Star Daily.
Department of Health has launched the “Pinaslakas,” the nationwide booster vaccine campaign in July aimed to increase the number of Filipinos that would be given booster shots to help maintain the country’s wall of immunity against Covid-19.
BenCyrus Ellorin, communications group head of Cagayan de Oro Mayor Rolando Uy said City Hall is fully aware of the problem.
In several interviews, Mayor Uy even offered to give one sack of rice and goodies to every senior citizen willing to be inoculated.
“The administration of Mayor Uy is working hard to meet the Pinaslakas targets. He believes that vaccination is our best protection against the virus,” Ellorin said.
Ellorin said Uy also believes that vaccination will be the key to the economic recovery of the city.