AT LEAST 140,000 Dabawenyos are targeted to be vaccinated in Davao City during the three-day Bayanihan Bakunahan: National Vaccination Day from November 29 to December 1, 2021.
During an interview at the National Vaccination Day kick-off ceremony held at People’s Park on November 29, Davao City Vaccination Cluster head Dr. Josephine Villafuerte said around 140,000 individuals need to be vaccinated in order for the city to reach herd immunity, which is 1.2 million of the current city population.
Villafuerte said the daily target during the vaccination event is 47,000.
“For three days (the target) is 140,000 to hit ang 1.2 million,” she said.
The cluster head also added that approximately 900,000 individuals in Davao City have received their complete dose, which is 72 percent of the herd immunity, while 1,060,000 or 81 percent have received their first dose.
“Hopefully by December, we will reach herd immunity,” added Villafuerte.
Currently, there are 25 vaccination hubs in the city, according to Villafuerte. This is part of the 561 vaccination sites that are open all-over the region according to the latest data by the Department of Health in Davao Region (DOH-Davao).
Walk-ins are allowed during the 3-day vaccination drive, provided that all necessary documents can be presented on site.
First and second doses, pediatric dose for 12 to 17-year-olds, and booster shots for A1, A2, and A3 priority groups will be given.
But Dr. Lenny Joy Johnson-Rivera, assistant director of DOH-Davao, said they are prioritizing the primary dose rather than the booster shots.
“For the booster dose, meron naman pineprepare ang city health office for the schedule,” Rivera said. “Ang aim talaga natin, maraming mabakunahan.”
Rivera said no barangay in Davao City has reached a 100 percent vaccination rate yet.
As per the data given by DOH-Davao, 59.1 percent or 2,221,909 of the regional population have been inoculated with the first dose, while 45.8 percent or 1,721,950 are fully vaccinated.
Rivera also said that they need to encourage people to get their doses and refrain from choosing certain brands of vaccines.
“Hinihiling namin na disseminate information na kahit anong bakuna meron, epektibo ito at mabisa ang vaccine (Please share to others that whatever the brand of the vaccine, it is effective against the virus),” Rivera said.
When asked how the DOH prepares for the new Covid-19 variants, Rivera said the minimum public health standards remain the most effective protection against the emerging variants.
“Kahit ang dami-dami pang mga variants, the minimum public health standards ay hindi nagbabago at ang pagbabakuna (Despite the different variants, we will continue to observe minimum public health standards and push for vaccination),” she said.
Davao Region aims to vaccinate at least 724,125 individuals in a span of three days.
Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr., undersecretary of Health for Field Implementation and Coordination Team for Visayas and Mindanao, said in a video message that Davao City targets 147,313 people, while 139,540 for Davao De Oro, 168,704 for Davao del Norte, 134,886 for Davao del Sur, 66,106 for Davao Occidental and 96,744 for Davao Occidental.
DOH-Davao also assured that ushers are present in all vaccination hubs to remind vaccinees of the minimum public health standards and protocols to avoid a super spreader event.
The Bayanihan Bakunahan: National Vaccination Day is a nationwide event that aims to inoculate 15 million individuals against Covid-19 to reach the herd immunity of the target population in the country.