Laoag City, 9 other ‘high-risk areas’ in Ilocos Norte get the nod to inoculate A4 priority group

A health worker in Ilocos Norte gets vaccinated against COVID-19. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Norte provincial government)

LAOAG CITY—This capital city of Ilocos Norte and nine other areas have been allowed to inoculate its residents belonging to the A4 priority group, the Department of Health (DOH) said Monday, July 19.

The DOH’s epidemiology and surveillance center has classified the cities of Laoag and Batac and Bacarra, Badoc, Bangui, Burgos, Currimao, Piddig, Pinili, and Vintar towns as “high-risk for COVID-19” infections.

Local virus data from the provincial government show that these areas are classified as “red zones” for having at least 21 active infections.

Areas classified as high risk may initiate the rollout of COVID-19 vaccination for frontline personnel in the essential sector, including uniformed personnel, if supply is sufficient, according to the advisory from the regional COVID-19 vaccination center.

However, persons under A1, A2, and A3 priority groups in these areas would still be prioritized for inoculation, the advisory added.

In Laoag City, residents had been clamoring for a faster and more efficient rollout of COVID-19 vaccines after the independent research group OCTA tagged the city on Sunday as an area with a “very high” infection rate.

As of July 18, at least 5,143 of the city residents under the A1, A2, and A3 priority groups had received at least one dose of the vaccines against COVID-19, according to Dr. Rheuel Bobis, COVID-19 focal person of the DOH in Ilocos.

Of the 5,143, at least 3,661 were health workers, 1,291 were senior citizens, and 191 were persons with comorbidities, Bobis said.

A total of 2,218 residents in the city had received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

The city would need to inoculate 70 percent of its total population of 111,651 based on the 2020 census to achieve herd immunity.

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