Ilocos gets 56,100 more doses of COVID-19 vaccines

A health worker in Ilocos administers a COVID-19 vaccine to a resident. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Sur health office)

LAOAG CITY—Another batch of vaccines against COVID-19 arrived on Tuesday, June 15, at the Ilocos Center for Health Development in San Fernando City, La Union, health officials said.

The 10th batch of the vaccine delivery in the region consisted of 21,000 doses of CoronaVac made by Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sinovac, and 35,100 doses of the US-made vaccine, Pfizer, according to John Paul Aquino, senior health program officer of the Department of Health (DOH) in Ilocos region.

Aquino said it was the first time that the region had received an allocation of the Pfizer vaccines from the national government.

The vaccines are planned to be administered to at least 28,050 health workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities residing in the region, Aquino said.

Aquino noted that convincing older citizens to get the jabs remained a “challenge, especially as they are considered ‘precious vaccinees’ because of their vulnerabilities.”

DOH plans to vaccinate “half a million of [the] senior citizen population in the region.” Only 14 percent of them had been inoculated so far, according to Aquino.

Dr. Rheul C. Bobis, COVID-19 focal person of DOH in Ilocos, said Tuesday that the vaccination drive in the region was “steadily increasing” despite a limited vaccine supply.

The latest data from DOH showed that at least 252,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines had been administered to the three priority groups.

The region is about to complete vaccinating the health workers at 98 percent. Only 18 percent of those with comorbidities have been inoculated, said Aquino.

LZB