A nurse vaccinates a senior citizen who ignored claims against COVID-19 vaccines. —INQUIRER PHOTO
CEBU CITY––To address the low turnout of people for vaccination against COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) in Central Visayas will hold a house-to-house inoculation program in Cebu province starting Tuesday, March 29.
Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH-7 director, said the region lags behind other regions in vaccination coverage, especially among senior citizens.
The three-day vaccination campaign will cater to the eligible population who want to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We will be moving around, moving house-to-house campaign for the vaccination of our senior citizens,” said Bernadas in a press conference on Monday, March 28.
Central Visayas has a low vaccination rate and could not meet the 70-percent fully vaccinated individuals required by the DOH.
Central Visayas was able to vaccinate only 62.8 percent of its target population, with Bohol (61 percent), Cebu province (53.5 percent), Negros Oriental (48.2 percent), and Siquijor (89 percent).
The highly populated cities in the region, however, reached their target. Cebu City has vaccinated 84.1 percent of its eligible population, while Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue have inoculated 93 percent and 98 percent, respectively.
Dr. Van Philip Baton, DOH-7 program manager for emerging diseases, said 12 towns in Cebu would be the focus of the three-day special vaccination drive. These include Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Daanbantayan, Dalaguete, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, San Fransisco, and Tuburan.
Baton said these localities have many older citizens who are not vaccinated.
Cebu has the lowest number of vaccinated senior citizens at 39.8 percent. Bohol inoculated 50.3 percent of senior citizens while Negros Oriental is at 45.1 percent. Siquijor has vaccinated 88.8 percent of its senior citizens.