THIRD BOOSTER. The Department of Health - Center for Health Development in the Ilocos Region administers an initial vaccination among its employees for the Pfizer bivalent coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine on Tuesday (June 13, 2023). This was after the regional DOH received 23,460 doses of the bivalent vaccine, which allocated to 12 DOH and provincial hospitals in the region and be administered on healthcare workers and senior citizens. (Photo courtesy of DOH-CHD-1)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The Ilocos Region has received 23,460 doses of the Pfizer bivalent coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine that will be administered to healthcare workers and the elderly population.
In a phone interview on Wednesday, Dr. Rheuel Bobis, Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Development in Ilocos Region (CHD-1) medical officer, said the vaccine will serve as a third booster shot.
The DOH-CHD-1 said healthcare workers and those belonging to the elderly population who had gotten their second dose four months ago are qualified to receive the third booster.
“It will be for healthcare workers and senior citizens. In the initial rollout, the allocation will be given to DOH and provincial government hospitals,” he said.
These include 12 hospitals, of which five are DOH hospitals and the rest are provincial hospitals.
The DOH hospitals are the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, Ilocos Sur Medical Center, Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Region 1 Medical Center, and Conrado Estrella Regional Medical Center and Trauma Center.
The provincial government hospitals, meanwhile, include the Ilocos Sur Provincial Hospital Gabriela Silang, Pangasinan Provincial Hospital, Lingayen District Hospital, Western Pangasinan District Hospital, Eastern Pangasinan District Hospital, Bayambang District Hospital, and Urdaneta City District Hospital.
“All identified health facilities shall already start roll-out as soon as they received their supply of Covid-19 vaccine Pfizer Bivalent. Rural Health Units and City Health Offices will follow after the Measles Rubella-bivalent Oral Polio supplemental immunization activity which was extended until June 15,” Bobis said.
Meanwhile, 273 new Covid-19 cases in the region have been recorded between June 4 to 10, with a daily average of 39 cases.
The figure is 21 percent lower than the cases reported between May 29 and June 3.
Twelve out of the 149 cases admitted to the hospitals were considered severe and critical.
Thirteen percent of the non-intensive care unit (ICU) beds were utilized, while 15 percent of the ICU beds were used. (PNA)
