City ramping up booster shots
PinasLakas, the vaccination campaign to ramp up vaccine booster in the country was launched for Baguioites at the city market last Tuesday, July 26 and runs up to Oct. 8.
This was reported by City Health Services Office head Dr. Rowena Galpo at the Management Committee meeting, where she also confirmed the availability of 78,736 vaccines. The vaccines’ breakdown is as follows: 3,250 Sinovac; 25,340 AstraZeneca; 1,220 Moderna; 9,650 Pfizer with Tozinameran, for 5 to 11 years old; 39,276 Pfizer Comirnaty for 12 and above.
The booster shot ramp up is in line with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s directive that on or before the completion of his first 100 days of office on Oct. 8, there is 90% coverage for the primary series of 85% of senior citizens, and a 50% coverage of the first booster of the 70% of the general population.
Second booster shots of Pfizer and Moderna brands are now available for 50 years old and for the 18 to 49 y/o with comorbidities (A3), at vaccination centers; 4 months after the first dose.
Vaccination cards, QR code and valid identification documents are required on site, vaccination officers said.
Accordingly, Baguio has surpassed the target with 90% senior citizens vaccinated For those 12 years old and above, three months is left to have fifty percent (50%) of the population get the first booster.
As to the president, the local government units, National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC), Department of Health and stakeholders work together for the goal. This is to safely remove mask-wearing, limit the use of alert systems, open schools to face to face instructions and remove travel restrictions, as per the president’s directive.
According to Dr. Galpo, to attain the target for boosted individuals, five hundred individuals should be vaccinated daily, from July 25 to Oct. 8; a total of 30,000 doses administered.
Increased booster doses are achieved with a settings-based approach, Dr. Galpo said.
Vaccinators/mobile vaccinators need to be at the workplace, schools, markets, transportation terminals, malls, plaza and churches for the attainment of increased first booster up to 60% of the fully vaccinated population.
The Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector was scheduled for vaccination by the Permits and Licensing Division head Allan Abayao. Booster dose scheduling for the local government unit employees shall also be done.
The drive-thru vaccination goes through during Fridays at the Baguio Cultural and Convention Center, according to Vaccine coordinator and Assistant HSO head Celia Flor Brillantes, this starts Aug 5 up to Oct. 7, a total of ten days.
With permission from the Department of Education (Dep-ed) officials, vaccination sites shall be set up in schools during enrollment days with vaccinators available on site, Dr. Galpo said.
Social mobilizers, vaccination champions and vaccinators are deployed in the community during barangay assemblies and sr. citizen meetings while the barangay officials, health workers and nutrition scholars are obliged to do sweeping operations for senior citizens, housewives, unemployed, Sangguniang Kabataan, parents, children and stay-at-home individuals.
Officials, medical and health workers and nutrition scholars are urged to address the misconception/misinformation and reasons on vaccination/booster hesitancy.
The number of barangay booster shots, on a daily basis, shall be posted for general information, Dr. Galpo added. – Julie G. Fianza
