THE Davao City government vaccinated at least 76 senior citizens in seven geriatric home facilities that were recently through the city's mobile vaccination for seniors.
The Vaccine Cluster of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force reported that the mobile vaccination team administered Covid-19 shots to seniors at the Care for Elderly Foundation in Biao Guianga, Tugbok; Hope Integrated Care Assisted Living in Catalunan Pequeño; and Co Su Gian Home for the Aged in Cabantian, Buhangin on August 6.
Senior citizens at the Country View Assisted Living Facility along Tacunan Road in Tugbok, and the Happy Heart Caring Hands Foundation in Purok Carnagan in Bayabas-Eden Road, Toril were also inoculated by the city's mobile vaccination team on August 5, along with those at the Golden Haven Retirement Home, Inc. in Puting Bato, Riverside, Calinan District, and PLEKS Good Shepherd Care Home at Gulfview Executive Subdivision in Bago Aplaya, Talomo District, on August 4.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the mobile vaccination team was able to do the mobile vaccination in the retirement homes in the city for three days.
The mayor, however, said due to the "exhausted manpower of the City Government of Davao," she advised the city councilors at the Sangguniang Panlungsod to also come up with their own mobile vaccination team.
"We have one already, which will pilot their kanang pagpabakuna sa (vaccination in) Los Amigos relocation area, ang target ani nila ang A5 and then sa PWD Gawad Kalinga Village ang gitarget ani is persons with comorbidities (in PWD Gawad Kalinga Village the target would be persons with comorbidities)," Duterte-Carpio said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.
The mayor earlier said the City’s plan to set up a mobile vaccination for seniors after many of them have not yet returned to receive their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
She said the city rolled out its mobile vaccination to inoculate more senior citizens, especially those who cannot go to the main vaccination sites for various reasons.
This means that the mobile vaccination team will seek out cluster areas where there are still unvaccinated senior citizens.
The mobile vaccination is another option for senior citizens aside from the public vaccination in designated City Health Office-run vaccination sites per district.
Davao City has between 200,000 to 300,000 senior citizens based on the record of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO).
As of August 6, a total of 79,039 seniors received their first dose while 54,065 got their second dose.
According to the National Vaccine Deployment for Covid-19 of the Department of Health, senior citizens fall under Priority Group A2. Duterte-Carpio said they are being prioritized since they are vulnerable to the virus due to pre-existing comorbidities.
The mayor said senior citizens may refuse the available vaccine, but they can wait for the schedule and the availability of their preferred vaccine. (with reports from CIO)