DOH-11: 800K Dabawenyos to get vaccinated

ABOUT 800,000 individuals in Davao Region have been listed to get the first batch of vaccination against Covid-19.

The Department of HealthDavao (DOH-Davao) Vaccination Team Leader Dr. Janis Olavides bared in the One Davao Virtual Presser that the department has initially recorded 800,000 Dabawenyos who are willing to be vaccinated and are part of the priority groups.

“As of now, although this is not yet complete, we have about 800,000 individuals willing to get vaccinated amd the bulk of this number comes from Davao City with 539,725 individuals under the Group A priority,” Olavides said.

The vaccination team leader elaborated that the department is guided by the World Health Organization or panel of experts regarding the prioritization on the provision of the vaccine.

“The first priority (Priority Group A), it covers the frontliners, national government agencies, indigent senior citizens, and the remaining senior citizens, our indigent population and then our uniformed personnel. Another priority (Group B), it covers our teachers and other national government agencies, OFWs, and other workers in essential services. And third, all Filipinos by 2021,” Olavides said.

The Davao Region health experts highlighted the overall goal of the National Vaccination campaign is to reduce the mortality and morbidity caused by Covid-19. And the vision is that all Filipinos will be vaccinated with the Covid-19 by the year 2022.

“Currently, we are already updated from the central, our National Task Force for Covid-19, with regards the immunization project…. We will be cascading this to all LGUs, and all implementing units, and parties and stakeholders, until the end of January 2021, we will be ready in case the vaccine will be available and ready in the country,” Olavides said

The DOH-Davao stressed that prioritization is needed given the limited supply of vaccines. While the President has committed to provide vaccines for all Filipinos, however, it will be done by phasing.

Dr. Raquel Montejo, Operation Chief of the Covid-19 Vaccination Program explained that the prioritization is based on the level of vulnerability to the Covid-19.

The first priority group will be vaccinated this year while other groups will get the vaccination program in 2022 until all Filipinos will be covered by 2023.

“For now, vaccines will only be available in government facilities and not yet available in the market,” Montejo said.