Fully vaccinated individuals in Pateros, the smallest local government unit (LGU) in Metro Manila with an estimated population of 70,000, have totaled more than 69,000 by the end of 2021.
This is according to Pateros Mayor Miguel “Ike” Ponce III in his address to the Pateros Municipal Council.
Ponce said by the end of 2021, 73,202 individuals in Pateros composed of residents and non-residents received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
In addition, 69,231 individuals are now fully vaccinated. The total is composed of 65,112 residents and 4,119 non-residents. The Pateros municipal government opened its vaccination program to non-residents.
“What happened is, we are nearly at 96 percent of vaccination among our population and those who work here,” said Ponce.
In the vaccination of minors aged 12 to 17 years old, he said, the municipal government has already vaccinated 5,784, or 93.3 percent of the estimated population of 6,200 for the age group. Of them, 5,426 minors have been fully vaccinated or 88 percent.
“There are a few who got scared and doubted the efficacy and safety of the vaccine but they are slowly getting vaccinated for them to get protection,” said the mayor.
He also said that in 2021, the Pateros municipal government conducted a total of 47,242 free swab tests for residents and a few non-residents.
As of Jan. 11, Pateros has 393 active COVID-19 cases out of 8,389 confirmed cases, 7,889 recoveries and 107 deaths.