The Southwestern University (SWU) in Barangay Sambag 1 is the 9th vaccination center for Cebu City. CDN Digital Photo | Pegeen Maisie Sararaña
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City on Monday, September 6, 2021, opened another vaccination site as it prepares to inoculate the rest of the population against COVID-19.
The city government opened its 9th vaccination center at the Southwestern University (SWU) campus in Barangay Sambag 1.
The establishment can accommodate at least 500 vaccinees in a day, according to City Health Officer Dr. Jeffrey Ibones.
“Cebu City residents in Banawa, Brgy. Sambag 1 and Sambag 2, Calamba, those in V. Rama Avenue, and nearly barangays can come here to get the vaccination,” said Ibones in Cebuano.
Cebu City has been scaling up its vaccination efforts as the entire country is set to vaccinate the general public before the year ends.
Recently they launched a vaccination ‘drive-thru’ to inoculate more individuals.
The city aims to have at least 21 vaccination centers to achieve herd immunity.
The other six operating inoculation sites are SM Seaside City Cebu, SM City Cebu, Robinsons Galleria Cebu, the Banilad and J. Alcantara Street campuses of University of Cebu, NOAH Complex in South Road Properties, Ayala Central Bloc, and Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
“Other possible vaccination sites in the pipeline included USC (University of San Carlos), CIT (Cebu Institute of Technology – University), UV (University of the Visayas). We’re still in the process of opening these vaccination sites,” added Ibones.
In the meantime, the City Health Officer said they remained optimistic to achieve herd immunity before the year ends.
“We are opening more vaccination centers and as long as there is a steady supply of COVID-19, we can definitely have herd immunity by December,” he added.
As of September 5, Cebu City reported having administered a total of 352,334 COVID-19 vaccines.
Of this number, 135,480 happened to be second doses which are equivalent to the number of people considered fully vaccinated against the infection. This also translates to an immunization coverage rate of around 14 percent.
Cebu City, based on the 2020 census, has a population of more than 960,000.
/bmjo
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