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4th nat’l vax drive: DOH targets 80K residents in E. Visayas

By Sarwell Meniano

March 9, 2022, 12:31 pm

<p><strong>VACCINATION</strong>. Tacloban residents inside the Astrodome, the city's mega vaccination center in this Feb. 14, 2022 photo. The Department of Health is eyeing to administer Covid-19 vaccines to 80,000 individuals in Eastern Visayas during the fourth round of three-day National Vaccination Days from March 10 to 12. <em>(Photo courtesy of Tacloban city government)</em></p>

VACCINATION. Tacloban residents inside the Astrodome, the city's mega vaccination center in this Feb. 14, 2022 photo. The Department of Health is eyeing to administer Covid-19 vaccines to 80,000 individuals in Eastern Visayas during the fourth round of three-day National Vaccination Days from March 10 to 12. (Photo courtesy of Tacloban city government)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) is eyeing to administer coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines to 80,000 individuals in Eastern Visayas during the fourth round of three-day National Vaccination Days from March 10 to 12.

Department of Health Eastern Visayas regional director Exuperia Sabalberino said in a statement on Wednesday the vaccination drive will target those individuals with due second doses, missed second doses, remaining senior citizens, remaining adolescent population, and booster doses in the health and economic sector.

The 80,000 target is the region’s contribution to the 1.8 million nationwide targets for three days.

“The vaccination drive will be put to action by implementing core strategies such as bringing the vaccination services closer to people, intensifying social mobilization and community engagement, and sharing of resources and assistance to local government units with higher targets and lower coverage rates,” Sabalberino said.

The official assured that there is sufficient vaccine allocation for each of the 430 active vaccination centers and implementing local government units in the region.

On Tuesday, the region received the delivery of 437,640 doses of Covid-19 vaccines, including 88,920 doses of Pfizer for adults, 76,100 doses of Pfizer for children, 173,000 doses of Moderna, 95,120 doses of Sinovac, and 4,500 doses of Gamaleya’s Sputnik V vaccines.

“With the whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach at its forefront, this is an opportunity for the region to recuperate, especially with the consistently low number of reported daily cases of Covid-19 and the de-escalation of alert levels imposed among the different provinces in the region, manifesting a safe environment for all the children, elderly, health care workers, and all those involved in this fight,” Sabalberino added.

The latest data show that a total of 2,768,963 residents are now vaccinated with at least one dose, representing a 60 percent coverage rate of the region’s 3,892,126 population identified as eligible to receive Covid-19 jabs.

The region still needs to vaccinate 1,123,163 individuals to meet the target.

“With a more focused approach towards the senior citizens and the 12 years old and above population this coming National Vaccination Days Part 4, the vaccination outcome for the region is expected to improve,” the official said.

As of March 8, Eastern Visayas has recorded 61,993 Covid-19 cases, including 61,250 recoveries and 663 deaths. These numbers bring the total active cases to only 80.

In the past three days, the region has been recording less than 10 new confirmed cases daily. (PNA)

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