The Department of Health in Western Visayas (DOH-6) is urging residents here to avail of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) booster shots to have a safer celebration during the return of the Masskara Festival in October.
The call was made by DOH-6 Regional Director Adriano Suba-an during the launching of Covid-19 nationwide booster vaccination campaign dubbed “PinasLakas” at the Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU) Alijis campus here on Thursday.
“We want to increase the wall of immunity of the community so we can go back to normalcy and we can open our economy confidently and safely. We can celebrate Masskara Festival with confidence, knowing that after, the cases will not increase and people will not get sick,” he said.
The target is to vaccinate 90 percent of senior citizens and administer booster shots to a least 50 percent of adult population in the city by October 8, he added.
“We need this one to ensure that the population will be protected because the truth is, there are still those who die because of Covid-19,” the DOH-6 official said.
Suba-an noted that although Bacolod has already reached 159 percent full vaccination coverage rate, not all who availed of the vaccines are residents of the city.
“Some of these are from the neighboring cities and municipalities but it is okay since the campaign for vaccination is not exclusive to the local government unit,” he added.
Lone District Representatives Greg Gasataya, who attended the launching rites, lauded the DOH for carrying out the “PinasLakas” campaign supported by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself, who received his booster shot at a vaccination site in SM City Manila on Wednesday.
“By doing this, he is setting an example that we should not lower our guards at this time, especially that Covid-19 is still around but we don’t need to hide. The past two years had been difficult for us. By assisting government programs to address this pandemic, I know we will have a better, clearer and brighter future,” he said.
Aiza Gwyn Santillan, vice president of the CHMSU student government, said she availed of the booster shot to have more protection against Covid-19 during the resumption of the face-to-face classes.
“We encourage our fellow students to get vaccinated. It is important to protect not just ourselves, but also our families and the people around us,” she added.
As of Aug. 17, some 73,622 Bacolod residents, or 28.61 percent of the target population in the 18 to 59 age group have received booster shots while some 14,341 senior citizens, or 27.81 percent have been boostered.
Among the 12 to 17 age group, a total of 1,167 individuals, or 24.6 percent have been given booster shots. (PNA)
