Mindanaotoday.com | Health execs: Oro Covid vax ‘until supply lasts’
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The City Health Office of Cagayan de Oro announced on Monday, January 9, inoculation of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccines would go on until supply lasts, and this was to clear up an earlier statement that there will be no more free vaccines by yearend.
But daily Covid-19 vaccination in malls would no longer be done because the turnout of vaccinees has been low, City Health Officer Dr. Rachelle Dilla said in a weekly briefing at City Hall. The volume of vaccine supply was not disclosed though.
Dilla said they appreciate offers of Limketkai and SM Downtown malls for free use of spaces – as they did in in the past – for weekend Covid-19 vaccinations starting on Saturday and Sunday, January 14 and 15.
In a forum at SM City Uptown Friday, January 6, Dr. David Mendoza, local support services chief of the Department of Health-10 said there are enough supply of Covid-19 vaccines that could last until March this year.
Meanwhile, Dr. Inah Grace Chiu, CHO’s immunization program coordinator, in the City Hall briefing, said those within the 5 to 11 and 12 to 17 aged brackets would be their priority because of the resumption of face-to-face classes.
Chiu said that while vaccination coverage among 12 to 17 years old was high at 116% – of the 57,875 targeted population, still some 3,750 have long been due for their second dose of the primary series, as of December 31, 2022.
Coverage of fully vaccinated (first and second doses) children, 5 to 11 years old, however, has been relatively low at 53 percent or 37,523 out of 71,432.
She said these learners, including their teachers, must have been fully vaccinated to prevent Covid-19 infections in classrooms as well as in off-campus activities.
Dilla shared her observation that kids normally do not observe safe distancing, unmindful the Covid-19 virus is still there (particularly subvariants of Omicron), much more because masking has become optional.
She said a vaccination team would also be joining the “Klarex Serbisyo sa Barangay” for community-level administration of Covid-19 vaccines.
Mall vaccination sites on weekends, she said, are really intended for school-age population, as well as for the remaining senior citizens, about 16,360 of them who do have the first dose even if coverage has reached over 81 percent.
Since Monday, January 9, one could avail of free Covid-19 vaccines at the CHO, City Hall and J.R. Borja General Hospital and those who wish to inquire for details may send text messages or call the Covid-19 vaccination hotline 0995 589 6020.
So far, the CHO through its vaccination teams has administered 1,428,832 doses of Covid-19 vaccines, as of January 5, 2023: 628,252 first doses; 594,195 second doses; 128,138 first booster, and 28,247 second booster. (MT)
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