DAVAO CITY – Mayor Sara Duterte here said the anti-coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccination for 88,381 senior citizens in this city will start Tuesday, May 11, at the SM Lanang Premier on JP Laurel Ave., Barangay San Antonio, Agdao District.
During her program over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) Monday, Duterte encouraged senior citizens, who comprise the category A2 in the priority list of the national government’s vaccination program, to coordinate with their barangays and district health offices to know how they can access the COVID-19 vaccines.
Although the inoculation program is not mandatory, Duterte urged the seniors to get vaccinated to be protected from the deadly infection. “Our vaccination is voluntary but, of course, we are highly encouraging you to decide to get the vaccines because this will help us attain our target of herd immunity, which the public health experts say, can help control COVID-19 in our country,” she said.
The city government targets to inoculate at least 1.2 million to attain herd immunity.
She said the COVID-19 vaccines may not guarantee complete protection from the risk of getting the infection but added it may reduce the risk of developing a severe infection.
“Most of those who died because of COVID-19 were senior citizens aged 60 and above. These vaccines may not completely prevent from getting infected with COVID-19 infection but our public health experts say these vaccines will help prevent from developing severe case. Even when you get infected, you may develop mild symptoms or you may be asymptomatic and that can save your life,” she said.
SM Lanang Premier is the first venue of the city government’s vaccination for senior citizens.
In a statement, the mall management said inoculations will start at 10 a.m. at the mall’s cinema hallway for 250 pre-registered and identified senior citizens 60-years-old and above.
It said that the SM works closely with the city government to ensure that health protocols are followed during the activity. It added that SM Supermalls supports the efforts of the government in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic by providing safe spaces for vaccination efforts throughout the country.