The Department of Health (DOH) XI is optimistic that the region will reach herd immunity this year. The region has a target or ideal jabs of 61,514 a day. The highest number of jabs reached by the region so far is at 47,000 jabs in a day.
As of October 16, Davao City showed the highest utilization rate with 86% for the first dose and 63.8% for the second dose.
Davao Oriental has so far utilized the first dose allocation at 95% but needs to catch up for the 2nd dose with 36.1% utilization rate.
Davao del Sur has a first dose utilization rate at 84% and 34.2% for the 2nd dose.
Davao del Norte has utilized 63% of their first dose allocation and 44% of their 2nd dose allocation.
Davao de Oro has so far utilized 47% of their 1st dose allocation and 33.7% of their 2nd dose.
Davao Occidental has a first dose utilization rate of 14% and 15.9% for the 2nd dose.
“We are optimistic that the region can reach herd immunity by this year but we are emphasizing that a whole of society approach is needed for the country to reach herd immunity. Even the private sector has an important role to play as we want Davao Region to be safe and healthy,” said Dr. Janis Olavides, DOH 11 Vaccination Program Focal.
She stressed that the DOH has also called on the help of local government units in coming up with strategies to speed up the vaccination and focus the allocation of vaccines in areas with low utilization rate.
She said one of the strategies used in Davao City is the Night Vaccination that may also be applied in other areas to capture those working class who can hardly skip work to get vaccinated.
The City of Davao and the Municipality of Boston in Davao Oriental Province also used incentive vaccination to further encourage more individuals to get jabbed. A “Roleta sa Bakuna” was first initiated in Boston town seeing that coming up with prizes is an effective way in motivating residents go to the vaccination site and to get vaccinated. This was followed in Davao City where prizes were also at stake for those who had themselves vaccinated at the schedule set by the LGU.
Dr. Olavides further emphasized in the virtual presser that LGUs are also called on to improve the ways in reaching the target population of senior citizens.
As of October 16, the region had vaccinated 175,629 senior citizens for the first dose and 168,362 for the second dose. The masterlisted eligible population for the A2 is at 373,036.
“We still need to think of better ways to reach and convince our senior citizens. A massive information drive is currently being done for this,” Dr. Olavides said. (PIA XI/Frances Mae Macapagat)
