DOH-Central Visayas Director Jaime Bernadas said on Monday, September 19, 2022, that the booster vaccination in the region is currently low.
Data from the DOH regional office showed that as of September 15, the region has administered only 730,856 first booster shots, or about 21.13 percent of the 3,583,188 eligible population aged 18 to 59.
Siquijor ranked first with 18,521 first booster shots administered, or 37 percent out of its 43,877 eligible population, followed by Cebu City with 186,672 or 31.18 percent out of its 467,998 eligible population, and Mandaue City with 82,869 or 30.27 percent out of its 183,955 eligible population.
Other areas on the list are Lapu-Lapu City with 62,748 or 20.20 percent of first booster shots administered out of its 207,019 eligible population, Negros Oriental with 88,867 or 18.88 percent out of its 617,051 eligible population, and Bohol with 102,224 or 18.78 percent out of its 572,477 eligible population.
Cebu Province ranked the lowest, with only 188,955 first booster shots administered, or 15.60 percent out of its 1,490,811 eligible population.
The DOH also recorded low results on its pediatric first booster vaccination for ages 12 to 17, having only 15,448 booster shots administered or only 2.40 percent of its 651,704 eligible population.
With these figures, Bernadas said people need to be educated on the importance of having booster shots, stressing most have become confident after receiving the primary series of Covid-19 vaccines.
Bernadas reiterated that the effectiveness of the primary vaccines wanes within three to six months after injection, decreasing the vaccinee’s immunity level.
“People are not properly educated that the effectiveness of the regular vaccine wanes off every three to six months. So, it needs to be strengthened by our booster doses,” said Bernadas.
He said the DOH is hoping that with the campaign of opening the economy and classes, more people will have themselves vaccinated against Covid-19.
“Vaccines are our best weapon against Covid (Covid-19). Covid will only be gone if it runs out of susceptible humans to be infected,” said Bernadas. (HIC)