Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas chief pathologist Dr. Mary Jean Loreche. (File photo)
CEBU CITY – Most of the patients who died of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in private hospitals in Cebu are not vaccinated, a Department of Health (DOH)-Central Visayas official said on Friday.
DOH-7 chief pathologist Dr. Mary Jean Loreche reported that 84 percent or 210 of the 249 persons who died while confined in private hospitals in Cebu have not received any brand of Covid-19 vaccine.
The data, she said, covered the first 18 days of August when a surge in coronavirus cases became imminent and both private and public hospitals were overwhelmed with patients suffering from severe to critical symptoms of Covid-19.
“Sa mga kababayan who did not make it, you will see, ang pinakamarami talaga na nawala sa atin ngayon ay yung mga walang bakuna (To our countrymen who did not make it, you will see, most of those who recently died are those unvaccinated),” Loreche said during a briefer at the Visayas Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC).
Out of the 249 deaths, 25 of them, or 10 percent were fully vaccinated, while 14 or six percent received only their first dose.
She said the data on the ground speaks for itself that it is very important for everyone in the eligible population nowadays to get vaccinated.
“By coming up with scientific data, statistical data, from the ground, we will be able to convince our fellow citizens to get vaccinated. it gives us that protection somehow that if we do get Covid-19, we will not end up in the severe form of illness,” said Loreche, also the VVOC spokesperson.
As of Aug. 18, DOH-7 records showed that the Central Visayas region has received a total of 2,432,990 doses of vaccines distributed in 278 inoculation sites in the provinces of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, and Bohol.
The six brands of vaccines available in the regions are Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Gamaleya, Moderna, and the single-dose Janssen. (PNA)
