CITY OF SAN FERNANDO–With a target of more than 40,000 senior citizens to be inoculated against COVID-19, the City Health Office here is stretching its team to ramp up the vaccination rollout.
After going full blast with 12 vaccinators and more than a hundred vaccination staff, CHO recorded on May 24 the highest number of vaccinated seniors reaching 1,260 in eight hours.
The office also continues to give jabs to the A1 priority group for their second dose of vaccines.
From March 25 to May 25, 2021, 2,033 Fernandinos from the A1 priority group were already inoculated with 1,686 individuals fully vaccinated.
For the A2 priority group, 8,479 seniors already received anti-COVID vaccines. Some 1,605 of them are fully vaccinated.
Dr. Iris Rose Muñoz, National Immunization Program (NIP) Manager, said the local government unit is also collaborating with private hospitals to further expand its vaccination effort.
“Ang isang vaccination site natin is [Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Medical Center]. Nag-visit na last week ang [Department of Health] and si Dr Carlos Mercado. Naghihintay na lang tayo ng approval. Sa Thursday magkakaroon na ng orientation sa mga staff nila doon. And then, ang [Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital] nag-offer rin na maging vaccination site na tutulong sa atin. Yung schedule natin sa kanila is June 1 and 2. Ang babakunahan nila ay seniors,” Muñoz explained.
They are also eyeing to team up with Our Lady of Fatima University and GreenCity Medical Center who both expressed their intent to help the local government unit.
Meanwhile, CHO urged the elderly to comply with the pre-registration and registration process to avoid conflict and further delays in the vaccination site.
“For our seniors, huwag po tayong susugod dito kapag hindi po tayo naka-schedule. Pinapakiusap lang po sana namin na maghintay sa text o tawag ng inyong schedule para maiwasan po yung pagdagsa ng mga tao. Pangalawa po, follow pa rin po natin yung minimum health standards natin lalo na yung physical distancing habang nakapila. And sana bago pumunta dito sa vaccination site, kumain na at uminom na po ng gamot,” Muñoz said.
Since the first day of its vaccination, CHO had not recorded any adverse effects or allergies from the vaccinated Fernandinos, aside from the usual flu-like side effects such as fever, headache, and pain in the injection site that may last 2 to 3 days.
CHO will conduct another vaccination activity on May 28 with a target of 1,300 senior citizens.