Vaccination. File photo
TACLOBAN CITY — Samar 1st District Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento has appealed to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to provide more vaccines for his constituents.
Sarmiento said Samar should be given a “proportionate equitable share” of the 6.4 million vaccines that are set to arrive this month and the 11.6 million vaccines that are scheduled for delivery next month.
According to the lawmaker, Samar and the rest of Eastern Visayas should be given more allocation of vaccines considering its rising COVID-19 cases.
He said that since the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines started in the region, Samar province has so far received 41,114 doses with areas in his congressional district given allocation of 16,432 doses so far.
Sarmiento said that for Samar to achieve herd immunity, they have to inoculate 636,150 individuals, representing 75 percent of its population.
This means Samar needs a total vaccine allocation of more than 1.25 million doses.
At present, the province of Samar has 276 active COVID-19 cases.
Meanwhile, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez asked those residing outside the city not to come to their place if their purpose is not essential.
Tacloban has been identified to be an “area of concern’ due to its increasing COVID-19 infections.
He also lamented that several health workers have contracted the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, including some who already received the vaccine.
At least 65 health workers have tested positive for the coronavirus that causes the COVID-19 illness in the last six days.
“It’s very alarming. Even if you have received the vaccine, you can still get the virus. So be careful,” Romualdez said.
At present, Tacloban has 527 confirmed COVID-19 cases.