Complete vaccination of Baguio folks seen by Dec

By Julie G. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY -- Complete vaccination of the city’s eligible population of 281,000 may take three to ten weeks more, or up to the end of this year. This also holds true for statistics presented from the national and regional vaccination offices. 
    The data was presented by City Health Services Office head Dr. Rowena Galpo during the management committee meeting last week with Mayor Benjamin Magalong, City Administrator Engr. Bonifacio dela Pena and city executives in attendance.
    As of Oct. 21, with reference to the city’s eligible population of 281,000; 85.27% or 239,600 are partially vaccinated, while 62.02% or 174,262 are completely vaccinated. Thus for the next three weeks 13,800 need to be vaccinated weekly for first dose, while for full immunization, 2,244 should be vaccinated weekly for 10 weeks. A realization of said numbers would mean complete immunization of 95% from 366,000, the city’s census-based population. 
    As to regional vaccination figures, 219,187 (83.6%) had their first dose, while 175,115 (66.69%) are completely immunized, from the 262,185 reference population. The target population shall be completely immunized once 14,332 are jabbed for first dose weekly for three weeks; and 841 vaccinated for second dose, weekly up to the end of December. The regional office however preferred to have 70% as their threshold for immunity. 
    The national vaccine office used the same figure, 262,185 as reference population, with 91.06% or 238,756 already reported having the first dose and 66.67% or 174,798 with the second dose. Immunity for the said population is pegged at 70% or full immunization of 183,529, which was already breached.
    To reach full immunization, first doses need to be administered to 7,813 weekly for three weeks; while 873 need to be jabbed for second doses up to the end of this year.
    According to Dr. Galpo, strategies have been drawn to have more individuals immunized such as increasing the number of fixed vaccine sites; along Session road, at Peoples and Igorot Park, as with moping up operations in the barangays and workplace establishments. Vaccination sites need to be within reach of the working populace, thus the sites moved at open spaces within the central business district, it was known.
    It was proposed that those who finished home and medical facility-based isolation should be vaccinated upon discharge before the issuance of certification of isolation completion.
    There was also a proposal for a business establishment to be issued a safety seal, if all employees are fully vaccinated. As of now, a safety seal is issued to a business area if inspection shows that the minimum public health standards are followed.
 Vaccination data shows that as of Oct. 28, Thursday, 245,435 or 87.34% had their first dose, with 187,842 or 66.84%  fully-vaccinated, of the city’s 281,000 eligible population.