BACOLOD CITY – The Department of Health (DOH)-Western Visayas (Region 6) launched the “PinasLakas” campaign Thursday, Aug. 18, to intensify Covid-19 booster vaccination here.
The DOH is targeting at least 90 percent of senior citizens and 50 percent of the general population in this city to be boosted against Covid-19.
Dr. Adriano Suba-an, director of DOH-Western Visayas, said that Covid-19 vaccination is necessary to ensure that the population will be protected against the virus. Thus, he said, the campaign is aimed at strengthening the Covid-19 booster vaccination.
“It’s our only way to make sure that we establish our herd immunity so that we can go back to normalcy as well as we can confidently open our economy,” Suba-an said during the launching of PinasLakas at the Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU) in Barangay Alijis here.
In terms of fully vaccinated rate, he said this city already recorded 159 percent, which also include residents from the neighboring cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental.
Suba-an lauded this city for its accomplishment in the vaccination campaign against Covid-19.
As of Aug. 17, this city had 28,806 Covid-19 cases – 27,686 have recovered, 221 active, and 885 deaths.
Dr. Maria Carmela Gensoli, City Health Officer, said they are now intensifying their campaign to administer booster shots to 12- to 17-years-old, senior citizens, and the rest of the population, including those who failed to avail of the first booster shot.
Gensoli said that this is also part of their preparations for the opening of classes next week to ensure the safety of students.
“We have to be ready for the face-to-face classes that will start in November this year,” Gensoli said, adding that they will finalize the schedules for the vaccination drive in public schools to enable them to inoculate students, including their parents.
During the launching, more than 100 students of CHMSU, including school personnel, were inoculated against Covid-19.