DOH: Ilocos region top performer during 3rd national vax drive

A resident of Vigan City in Ilocos Sur province receives a COVID-19 vaccine shot. (Photo courtesy of Vigan city government)

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—At least 203,502 individuals in the Ilocos region were vaccinated during the third staging of the National Vaccination Day from Feb. 10 to 18, the regional Department of Health (DOH) said Monday, Feb. 21.

But the total number of jabs given during that period was slightly below the target of 207,954.

The region still administered the highest number of COVID-19 vaccines during the week-long vaccination drive, the DOH added.

So far, the region has administered more than six million COVID-19 vaccines, with 86.40 percent of its 3.7-million target inoculated against the disease, according to the National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF).

On Monday, Ilocos was identified as one of the top 12 regions in the country with the highest vaccination coverage and could now focus on providing booster shots, the NTF said.

At least 428,466 individuals had received their booster shots, NTF data showed.

In a statement, DOH Regional Director Paula Paz Sydiongco said the high percentage of vaccination in the region proved that the “public’s confidence in the health department’s immunization program is slowly building up.”

“For the remaining individuals who are not vaccinated, I encourage you to get vaccinated and be protected against the various [COVID 19] variants that are spreading in the community,” she added.

Syndiongco also thanked the health workers, especially those at the community level for their “exceptional efforts” that made the region a top performer in the administration of COVID-19 vaccines. INQ

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