"Get vaccinated, boosted ahead of the holidays" - DOH IV-A official

PIA LAGUNA December 8, 2022 DOH IV-A Assistant Regional Director Dr. Leda Hernandez MANILA - The Department of Health (DOH) Center for Healt...

PIA LAGUNA
December 8, 2022

DOH IV-A Assistant Regional Director Dr. Leda Hernandez

MANILA - The Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Development CALABARZON continues to vaccinate more individuals against COVID-19 ahead of the Christmas holidays, with the Bakuhang Bayan National Vaccination Days on December 5-7, 2022.

In an interview with the Philippine Information Agency - Laguna, DOH IV-A Assistant Regional Director Dr. Leda Hernandez said that Bakunahang Bayan is an ‘integrated activity’ which aims to bolster the COVID-19 vaccination coverage of the public and to also catch-up with routine vaccination against tuberculosis, polio, measles, and more for infants.



Dr. Hernandez said that the department is still targeting more than 500k unvaccinated individuals in the region, with the help of health workers and social mobilizers.

“Ang dami pa pong unvaccinated. Ibig sabihin yung primary series, hindi pa nila naumpisahan for the whole CALABARZON is more than 500k pa. But we’re already 91% fully vaccinated for the whole CALABAR. So we hope na mataasan pa ‘to,” Hernandez said.



She added, “Hindi naman po tumitigil ang mga health workers doon. At meron po kaming social mobilizers for each of the provinces para i-explain doon sa mga hindi pa nagpapabakuna ang benefits ng COVID-19 vaccines”

Dr. Hernandez then cautioned the public that compliance with the minimum health standards and getting vaccinated or boosted against COVID-19 is imperative to avoid a post-Christmas surge of COVID-19 cases.



“Kaya po hindi kami tumitigil na kahit po [nagsabi] tayo na pwede nang walang masks sa mga restaurants, [inire-recommend] pa rin namin kung hangga’t maaari ay wear your masks. ‘Yung paghugas natin ng kamay, alcohol nandyan pa rin, and yung vaccination. Ito na yung armas natin para hindi magka-surge this coming Christmas and prayers.”

As of December 2, 2022, Region IV-A has a total of 10,753,096 adults fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or a 91% coverage. First booster vaccine coverage for adults still lags at about 3,259,872 or 28%.

For pediatric vaccination, children aged 5 to 11 has reached a total of 676,556 fully vaccinated individuals or 44%. DOH-CHD IV-A targets around 758,226 unvaccinated children to be inoculated.