ILOILO – Parents can now pre-register their kids aged 12 to 17 years old with their Rural Health Units (RHUs) for pediatric vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, head of the Provincial Health Office (PHO), made it clear, however, that “mintras wala pa go signal halin sa DOH (Department of Health) nga puede na, indi ta anay magsugod bakuna.”
In the meantime, too, according to Quiñon, vaccination teams will focus on priority populations like healthcare workers, senior citizens, persons with comorbidities, economic frontliners, and indigents.
As of Oct. 13, a total of 414,641 Ilonggos – 29 percent of the target population – received their first dose of COVID jabs, while 312,731 or 22 percent have been fully vaccinated.
The province targets to inoculate 1,448,757 residents to achieve herd immunity.
Fully vaccinated individuals included healthcare workers – 47,592; senior citizens – 55,028; persons with comorbidities – 68,198; uniformed personnel – 46,926; and indigents – 5,159.
A total of 89,824 received Janssen anti-coronavirus shots.
Other vaccines utilized by the provincial government were AstraZeneca –109,038, Sinovac – 427,067 doses, Pfizer – 30,030, and Moderna – 90,627.
Five LGUs had the highest vaccination accomplishment: Pototan – 26,937, Santa Barbara – 25,722, Passi City – 25,136, Lambunao – 23,474, Miag-ao – 22,145, and Cabatuan – 21,283.
PHO urged Ilonggos to get vaccinated despite the province’s de-escalation to a more lenient general community quarantine beginning Oct. 16./PN