63mil people vaccinated vs. Covid

OVER 63 million people have been fully vaccinated against the Covid-19, marking the country’s so-called “Resbakuna Program” or the national vaccination rollout program successful since it was launched last year.

The Department of Health said during its initial phase, the program prioritized inoculating the sectors who are at high risk of Covid-19 infection - the medical frontliners, senior citizens, and people with comorbidities.

To date, data from the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) show that 93% of healthcare workers, 62.82% of the senior citizens, and 92% of people with comorbidities have been fully vaccinated. As part of this feat, the country has also begun the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years old with more than 700,000 children receiving their first Covid-19 doses.

Coming from a peak in the number of cases in January, the DOH observed a decline as it mounted an aggressive and wider and extensive national vaccination coverage in addition to minimum public health standards. This provides a clearer picture to what the World Health Organization had previously envisioned in countries with high vaccination rates, as transmissions of the virus do not automatically lead to pressuring the health system and its capacity.

“With the ongoing efforts of the national government, we are confident that we will be able to reach our target population as we make the vaccination coverage wider and more accessible for everyone,” said National Vaccination Operations Center Chairman and Undersecretary of Health of the Field Implementation and Coordination Team in NCR and Luzon, Myrna Cabotaje.

The DOH said it continues to work towards population protection through programs such as the conduct of National Vaccination Days, Resbakuna sa Botika, and vaccination in pharmacies, primary care and occupational health clinics, as well as air, sea, and transportation terminals for the elderly and vulnerable populations.

The DOH encourages the public to recognize the importance of staying protected through vaccination and adherence to minimum health standard protocols with the easing of restrictions. (Mindanao Examiner)