OVER 600 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) in one component city and two towns in Cebu Province have been fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
First dose inoculations for this population segment have exceeded 1,000 in the four local government units.
In Consolacion, Mayor Joannes Alegado said 243 PDL detained at the Consolacion Municipal Jail have been fully vaccinated against the infectious disease while one PDL received one dose and nine opted not to get the vaccine. The vaccination of four PDL was deferred.
In a text message to SunStar Cebu on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, Alegado said the PDL detained in his town were the first PDL in the Province and second in the country to be vaccinated.
The municipal jail currently holds 257 inmates. Alegado said there were also some PDL who had received their first dose before they were released from jail.
Data given by Alegado shows that 228 PDL received their first dose of the Sinovac inactivated vaccine on July 1 while 28 received their first dose sometime in August.
On Aug. 5, 205 PDL received their second dose. Another 38 PDL received their second dose on Thursday, Sept 2.
As of Sept. 3, a total of 38,112 residents of Consolacion have received their first dose. Of this number, 22,950 have been fully vaccinated. Since Aug. 31, Consolacion has allowed walk-in eligible vaccine recipients.
In Naga City, Mayor Kristine Chiong said around 400 PDL at the Naga City District Jail received their second dose of the Sinovac vaccine in the last week of August.
As of last week, a total of 25,215 individuals living in the city have completed the two doses out of the 37,839 who have received their first dose.
The City of Naga targets to inoculate a total of 92,000 residents.
In Minglanilla, 387 PDL received their first dose of the Sinovac vaccine on Sept. 1.
Mayor Elanito Peña said he initiated an on-site vaccination to prevent Covid-19 transmission inside the jail. Peña said they target to vaccinate 92,000.
Minglanilla has two vaccination sites, which are located at the sports complex and Immaculate Heart Of Mary Academy.
In Alcantara town, Mayor Fritz Lastimoso said most residents have agreed to get vaccinated amid the spread of the Delta variant. But some senior citizens, especially in the mountain barangays, are still afraid of the vaccine, he said.
The local government has converted its administration hall into a vaccination center.