FILE PHOTO: A medical worker picks a syringe to use for the administration of a COVID-19 vaccine. Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool via REUTERS
MANILA, Philippines — More than 90,000 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 during the special vaccination days set by the Department of Health (DOH), an official reported Tuesday.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the special vaccination days held in Cebu province, Davao Region, and Cotabato City “were able to achieve 60 percent of the targeted number of vaccination.”
“We were able to have an accomplishment of 90,039 na nabakunahan natin (vaccinated individuals) during these special vaccination days in Cebu province, in Davao Region, and also in Cotabato City,” she said.
According to Vergeire, vaccine hesitancy remains to be one of the reasons why vaccination coverage is low in the said areas.
“Specific challenges that were identified, unang-una, ‘yun pa ring (first, still) hesitancy, especially in the [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao] and Cotabato City where we went,” the health official said.
She also noted that most of the houses that they went to already have vaccinated residents.
Vergeire then pushed for community engagement so people will better accept the anti-coronavirus vaccines.
RELATED STORIES
Special COVID-19 vaccination drive in Cebu set on March 29-31
Special COVID-19 vaccination drive set in Davao region, Cotabato City on March 29 – 31