SINCE Cebu City conducted its vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the city’s upland barangays, the acceptance of the residents of the vaccines has improved.
The City’s Vaccine Advisory Board first opened a vaccination site intended for the residents from mountain barangays on June 18, 2021 at Don Bosco Technical College in Barangay Punta Princesa.
On June 19, the Board conducted a vaccination at Barangay Bonbon; last June 25 in Barangay Taptap and last July 2 in Barangay Cambinocot.
The City was able to inoculate 332 individuals at DBTC, 362 in Bonbon, 481 in Taptap and 460 in Cambinocot.
Cebu City Health Department (CHD) officer-in-charge Jeffrey Ibones said the acceptance of residents living in the mountain barangays has increased due to this — bringing the vaccination near them.
Ibones said the residents might have realized that the side effects of the vaccines are not like what they have imagined.
“They saw that no one was harmed after the vaccination; they realized that it is actually beneficial,” said Ibones in Cebuano.
Ibones can say that the level of acceptance of the vaccines in the mountain barangays increased since the officials are now asking the Vaccine Advisory Board when the next vaccination in Bonbon will be.
The vaccination site in Bonbon caters to residents from Bonbon, Babag, Pung-ol Sibugay, Sudlon 1, Sudlon 2, Buot Taup and Malubog.
According to the data provided by Management Information and Computer Services officer-in-charge Richter Castañares, 45,283 individuals from the mountain barangays (22,664 from the north district and 22,619 from the south district) have registered for the City’s vaccination program.
Cebu City has 22 mountain barangays.
Aside from the mountain barangays, Ibones said the overall level of confidence of the public towards the vaccines has improved.
As long as Covid-19 vaccines are available, more than 4,000 individuals can be inoculated in all the vaccination sites in Cebu City daily.
Cebu City has opened five vaccination sites. These are the University of Cebu (UC) Banilad, Robinsons Galleria, UC Senior High School Private Campus, SM Seaside City, and New Normal Oasis for Adaptation and a Home (Noah) Complex.
Last week, the Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas delivered 14,920 Covid-19 vaccine doses to Cebu City, but Ibones said the supply may last only until Tuesday, July 6.
Last Thursday, July 1, 4,200 individuals were inoculated, while there were 4,900 who were vaccinated on July 2.
“We can see that majority of the public just accept the brand that is available,” said Ibones.
As of July 3, a total of 106,203 doses of vaccines has been distributed.
Of the total vaccines administered by the City, 80,486 doses were for the first dose and 25,717 for the second dose. (JJL)