COVID-19 vaccines

Ilocos region in ‘last mile’ vax push as 6 towns, cities hit herd immunity

John Michael Mugas

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Ilocos region in ‘last mile’ vax push as 6 towns, cities hit herd immunity

Ilocos Norte residents receive COVID-19 vaccines during the first day of the three-day national vaccination drive on Monday.

Ilocos Norte provincial government

Baguio City, which hit herd immunity status mid-November, sees the three-day Bayanihan Bakunahan as the push needed for total coverage

At least six towns and cities in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur provinces achieved herd immunity against COVID-19 ahead of the three-day national vaccination days which began Monday, November 29, provincial officials said.

Region 1 local chief executives said the November 29 to December 1 Bayanihan Bakunahan will allow them to cover the “last mile” to more vulnerable areas.

Regional health office data said that as of 3 pm of the first day, at least 93,505 individuals received COVID-19 doses in the Ilocos region.

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In Ilocos Sur, the city of Vigan, and the towns of San Vicente, Bantay, and Sinait have already fully vaccinated at least 70% of their target eligible population.

Data from the provincial health department showed the capital city of Vigan with 83% of the 39,388 target population fully vaccinated, followed by  San Vicente town with 78.78%, Bantay town with 71.89%, and Sinait with 70.51%.

In Ilocos Norte province, the capital city of Laoag had at least 78% of the 80,907 target population vaccinated fully against the disease.

Coverage was even higher in Batac City, with 103% of the 40,188 target population fully vaccinated.

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School work in vax lines

In Baguio City,  the Baguio Country Club, the SM mall, and the Saint Louis University were at full capacity due to enthusiastic response to the special three-day drive.

Even students who had online classes lined-up to get their jabs. Some even brought with them their modules and answered them while waiting in line.

Aside from the three sites, all district health centers in the city also administered vaccines to the general population and eligible minors.

Baguio hopes to achieve total or blanket immunity by December 1.

The city government said 95% of its adult population and 56% of eligible minors have already received their first vaccine dose.

It announced herd immunity, or 70% of the eligible population, on November 17 as it started giving health care workers their booster shots.

The City Health Services Office (CHSO) said that 212,390 or 75.76% of the 281,000 eligible population had received full doses while 212,390 (91.74%) got their first dose as of November 15.

‘Last mile’

Dr. Rheuel Bobis, COVID-19 focal person of  DOH Region 1 said that  35,871 individuals received doses by 11 a.m. The regional DOH office announced on November 27 that it aimed to give 700 residents their vaccine shots over three days.

“If we reach 700,000, we will even surpass our target of 70% for the first dose coverage among residents in the region,” said Bobis.

Ilocos Sur Governor Ryan Luis Singson said all local government units in the province will go “full blast”  to meet their target coverage by December 1.

The provincial government, he said, will focus on bringing vaccines to residents in “isolated and unreachable areas.”

Regional DOH program immunization managerJohn Paul Aquino said on Sunday, November 28, that the province has coordinated with the Philippine Air Force for helicopters to reach the far-flung towns of Sugpon and Salcedo.

Provincial vaccination teams have not reached these isolated towns, Aquino said, noting that they were only accessible to motorcycles. Using these vehicles increased the possibility of contamination of supplies while in transport, he added..

“Since Ilocos Sur had already saturated its population with high vaccination accomplishment, they could now bring the inoculation activities to unreachable and far-flung areas,” Aquino said.

In the entire Ilocos region, Ilocos Norte had the highest first dose vaccination coverage at 89% of the 431,801 target population while at least 62% were already fully vaccinated.

In Ilocos Sur, 85% of the 504,179 eligible population had received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 56% were already considered as fully vaccinated, data from the DOH showed.

At least 408 vaccination sites across the region were set up for the three-day drive, with 1,394 individuals who volunteered as vaccinators and encoders, according to DOH.

Meanwhile, the provincial government of Benguet launched the National Vaccination days at the La Trinidad Public Market. 

Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas together with Department of Health (DOH) Cordillera Assistant Regional Director Amelita Pangilinan led the vaccination rites.

The provincial government’s goal is to vaccinate more than 79,000 individuals. The Benguet Provincial Health Office (PHO) said  the three-day immunization drivwe would bring nearer the 70% herd immunity coverage. – with reports from Ahikam Pasion/Rappler.com

John Michael Mugas and Sherwin de Vera are Luzon-based journalists and awardees of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.

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