ONLY around 1,500 senior citizens were vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) during the three-day special vaccination days in Cebu Province, which ran from March 29 to March 31, 2022.
The three-day special vaccination drive was held across the province, but it targeted local government units (LGUs) with the most number of unvaccinated senior citizens: Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Carcar City, Daanbantayan, Dalaguete, Danao City, Pinamungajan, San Fernando, San Francisco, Toledo and Tuburan.
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, chief pathologist of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7), said only 585 senior citizens were vaccinated in the 12 LGUs, or only 1.5 percent of the 38,529 target senior citizens for house-to-house vaccination in the 12 towns and cities.
Of the number, Loreche said 102 senior citizens were vaccinated for first dose while 119 received their second dose, and another 364 seniors were vaccinated with the single-dose Johnson & Johnson (Janseen) vaccine.
Around 65 DOH 7 personnel were deployed to the 12 LGUs who served as social mobilizers.
In the entire province, DOH targeted to vaccinate around 40,000 individuals on three-day special vaccination days but only 33,308 or 83.27 were vaccinated.
Loreche said 9,394 of them were given their first dose while 12,409 were given their second dose of the vaccine.
Around 2,350 individuals were vaccinated with Janseen and 4,163 others got their booster dose.
The 12 identified LGUs, however, were not part of the top 10 performing LGUs with the highest number of vaccinated individuals during the three-day special vaccination drive.
Minglanilla town has the most number of vaccinated individuals with 2,427; City of Naga with 2,308; Talisay City with 2,080; Consolacion with 1,653; Compostela with 1,068; Cordova with 961; Poro with 528; Tudela with 289; Alcoy with 238; and Pilar with 226 vaccinated individuals.
Loreche noted that the common reasons for the low turnout of senior citizens were socio-cultural such as having the mindset that they no longer need the vaccine due to their age.
Some of them live in far-flung sitios of the barangay, while some have minimal interaction with the community. Other reasons cited are accessibility; fear of side effects, which is easily disseminated in social media; and brand preference, among others.
LGUs in Cebu remain under Alert Level 2 status from April 1 to April 15, except for the three highly urbanized cities (HUCs) of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu, which have been deescalated to Alert Level 1 status.
Under Alert Level 2, some activities are prohibited and establishments are allowed to operate at a maximum of 50 percent indoor venue capacity and 70 percent outdoor venue capacity.
Under Alert Level 1, however, all private offices and workplaces, including public and private construction sites, as well as public transportation would be allowed to operate at 100 percent capacity.
To be deescalated to Alert Level 1 status, each LGU must jab 85 percent of its eligible senior citizens over 80 percent of the total projected population while it also needs to vaccinate 70 percent of the 85 percent total eligible population.
Loreche, however, could not provide yet the updated data on the number of vaccinated total eligible population and senior citizens in Cebu Province.
As of Monday, March 28, Cebu Province had vaccinated only 39.8 percent of the targeted 85 percent of the senior citizens population.
Loreche, who also serves as consultant of the Cebu Provincial Government on health matters, earlier said that Cebu Province, which excludes the three HUCs, is still working to meet the numbers required for deescalation.
“It’s a work in progress. But we are optimistic that with the Commission on Elections exemption on the vaccination activities, the LGUs can continue the vaccination drive,” she said, adding that the needed numbers will be realized through people’s awareness on the importance of vaccines for full economic recovery.