NEARING POPULATION PROTECTION. The province of Negros Oriental is nearing its target of 70 percent vaccination against Covid-19. However, Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion, said on Friday (May 13, 2022) the province is not yet safe from the virus until it achieves the target vaccination percentage for population protection. (PNA file photo)
DUMAGUETE CITY – The percentage of individuals fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in Negros Oriental has reached 65.8 percent.
However, Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion said in a press briefer on Friday that “we are not yet safe because we have not yet reached herd immunity even though we now have zero active cases in the province”.
Estacion reported that from May 5-13, except for two repeat-swab positive cases, no new active infections were reported.
As of May 13, the total caseload of the province is 23,544, with 22,803 recoveries and 741 mortalities, she said.
On the vaccination rollout, Estacion said as of May 11, a total of 652,553 individuals are fully-vaccinated, including those who received the one-shot Janssen vaccine.
The target number, however, is 990,637 individuals in order to reach population protection, she said.
Estacion reiterated her appeal to those who have received the primary series of the vaccines to get their booster shots as only 81,486 individuals of the target, or a measly 8.2 percent, have received the third dose.
She also appealed to the public to continue wearing face masks and observing the basic health protocols so that the province can finally be downgraded from the current quarantine Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 1. (PNA)
