The regional office of the Department of Health (DOH 11) is intensifying the administration of booster doses in Davao Region due to a shortfall.
Dr. Gerna Manatad, assistant regional director of DOH 11, said that currently there are 667,934 that were given the first booster dose, which is 17.6 percent of the targeted population in the region.
Manatad said for Davao Region, for the whole total category all the groups that DOH 11 is targeting already accomplished 94.7 percent for the first dose, which is 3.3 million.
She said it is time to amplify administering booster doses.
“Kung titingan natin yung 12 to 17 years old ang laki din ng ating nabakunahan and for the whole Davao Region we have 105.9 percent na if we are looking into the target na 136,967. Itong grupo na ito we need really to provide booster dose kasi nagkaroon na sila ng primary series. For 5 to 11 years old, yung first dose nasa 45.5 percent pa tayo and this was the target. We need really to cover more children para ma receive nila ang primary series. Meron pa tayong around 301,000 na 5 to 11 years old,” she said during Kapihan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex on Monday.
DOH Undersecretary Abdullah Dumama said this group (5 to 11 years old) will be among the focus of the healthcare workers for the second round of the Bakunahan Bayan slated on December 5 to 7, 2022.
The three-day Covid-19 vaccination drive will again be held across the country in a bid to increase the booster uptake and inoculation rate among Filipino children.
“Yung una meron tayong 90 percent na dapat mabakunahan with booster ng ating senior citizens and 50 percent dapat sa mga first booster sa lahat ng total population. Ngayon may panibago tayong target dapat makukuha natin yung 5 to 11 years old na makatanggap na ng primary doses. Yung sa 12 to 17 years old kailangan magkaroon na ng unang booster at ito ay protection para sa ating mga kabataan. Pero kahit anong edad from 5 years old and above and from 18 years old and above ay dapat makatanggap na ng bakuna,” Dumama said.
Manatad said Davao Region is one of those regions identified that still need to widen coverage for vaccination.
She said there is a need to step up the vaccination drive considering that people will soon celebrate Christmas.
“Meron kasi tayong target talaga . Ang unang target ay para makabalik na tayo sa normal na pamumuhay. Ang ating mga negosyo magbukas na, ang ating pangkabuhayan tuloy tuloy na, yung ating mga bata na nag-aaral ay protektado at safe,” Dumama said.
