1M Cebu residents receive first dose

At least 1 million residents of Cebu have received the first dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 as of September 10, 2021.

Project Balik Buhay (PBB) said a total of 1,708,501 vaccine doses have been administered across all public and private sector vaccination centers in Cebu. Of this number, 1,006,099 doses were administered for the first dose and 702,402 doses were administered for the second dose.

Cebu City has administered a total of 514,857 doses (313,112 for the first dose and 201,745 for the second dose); Mandaue City has administered 300,951 doses (171,900 for the first dose and 129,061 for the second dose); and Lapu-Lapu City has administered 300,126 doses (181,441 for the first dose and 118,685 for the second dose).

Cebu Province has administered 592,557 doses (339,646 for the first dose and 252,911 for the second dose), also as of September 10, 2021.

As of September 1, 2021, Central Visayas has received a total of 2,961,800 doses of seven different brands, including Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer,

Gamaleya, Janssen, Moderna and Sinopharm.

A total of 2,233,645 doses have been administered – 1,280,567 for the first dose and 953,078 for the second dose, said Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, spokesperson of the Visayas COVID-19 Vaccination Operation Center.

HERD IMMUNITY

Loreche said earlier that anti-vaxxers are among the hindrances of the government’s goal in achieving herd immunity, including in Cebu.

The DOH-7 chief pathologist said people who do not believe in the vaccine, will be a hindrance to Cebu’s goal of achieving herd immunity by yearend, even if more doses will arrive in the island.

Senator Imee Marcos, in a statement, said the country should prepare for a worst-case scenario wherein herd immunity could no longer be attained.

“Herd immunity remains theoretical and has become a moving target. Last year, it was 70 percent of the population, today it’s 90 percent, but tomorrow it may well be out of range,” Marcos said.

Besides precarious global vaccine supply, Marcos said breakthrough infections among the vaccinated, the emergence of more variants, the uncertain length of vaccine efficacy, and the possible reduction of healthcare capacities due to hospital shutdowns and worker protests, are also among the factors that make attaining herd immunity seem unlikely.

“I’d rather be the bearer of bad news than of false hope. The fact is, pandemic control worldwide has become a Sisyphean struggle,” Marcos added, alluding to the Greek myth of the king whose eternal punishment for holding Death hostage was to keep pushing a boulder uphill without ever reaching the top.

“On a personal level, let’s observe an immunity-boosting lifestyle regimen of getting adequate sleep, keeping hydrated, exercising regularly, quitting cigarettes and alcohol, taking Vitamin C and zinc, and making natural health food like malunggay and virgin coconut oil part of our diet,” Marcos added.

Meanwhile, more local government units are offering incentives as one way to entice their residents to have themselves vaccinated.

Consolacion town in Cebu, for example, just concluded its second round of ‘Bida ang Bakunado Online Raffle Papremyo’ wherein 50 residents won 25 kilos of rice each.

Cebu Fifth District Rep. Duke Frasco and his wife, Liloan, Cebu Mayor Christina Frasco, are also giving away P1,000 to 10 vaccinated residents from each of the 11 local government units in the district. Winners will be announced on September 12, 15, and 18, 2021.

The money will come from the couple’s personal pockets.