Vaccination drive in Cebu City gains ground — Cebu City Health

Pop-up vaccination site in Barangay Kamputhaw, Cebu City. | Photo Courtesy of Councilor Joel Garganera

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Health (CHD) noticed a slow increase in the number of individuals being vaccinated in the different sites in the past week.

Doctor Jeffrey Ibones, officer-in-charge of the CHD, said that the fixed vaccination sites were still reporting low turnouts, but pop-up vaccination sites at the barangays were showing promise.

“Ang ato nakita karon sa fixed vaccination sites, gamay gyod. Pero tungod sa pop-up nisaka siya. Nakatabang pud ang kining girequire ang 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) nga nagrequire silag vaccination,” said Ibones.

(What we see now in fixed vaccination sites is that there are really a few people there. But because of the pop-up [vaccination sites] the number increased. Requiring the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) beneficiaries to be vaccinated also helped.)

The increase in the number of individuals getting vaccinated is a welcome development to the CHD because the city government still aims to reach herd immunity before the year ends.

The city has already reached more than 50 percent of its target 700,000 population with the current number of  vaccinated individuals at approximately 444,000 for first dose and 371,000 for second dose.

Ibones said that the pop-up vaccination sites in the mountain and urban barangays hastened the vaccination drive.

The vaccination for minors have also been successful so far with at least 2,361 minors already vaccinated in the lone site at the Southwestern University PHINMA.

Ibones said there had been a rapid increase in the vaccination of the minors because many of the students already finished their exams and could now get the time off to get vaccinated.

However, the CHD is appealing to parents not to walk-in at the minors’ vaccination site because the site could only accommodate less than a certain number of individuals.

“Kung minor man gud, balig doble na nga capacity kay kuyog man ang parent. Usahay kuyog pa ang yaya, so sa usa ka bata, magexpect kag at least usa ka guardian. So kung 100 motunga nga bata, 200 na gyod na siya,” said Ibones.

(When it is it means double the capacity because they are accompanied by the parent. Sometimes, the nanny would accompany them, so for one kid, we can expect at least one guardian. So if 100 kids will show up then that means 200 people.)

The doctor understand that the Department of Health (DOH) has encouraged the vaccination sites to accept walk-ins, but since the city has only one site for minors as of now, this cannot be done.

“Huwat lang usa gyod ta sa schedule nga itext. Tutal mag open man tag another site next week. Naa na tay ikaduha nga site maybe then makadawat na tag walk-in,” said Ibones.

(Let us just wait for our schedule to be texted to us. Anyway, we will open another site next week. If we have the second site then maybe we can accept walk-ins.)

He said that walk-ins would not be turned away but they would have to wait in the Quick Substitution List (QSL) for the day.

Unless a scheduled minor backs out or do not appear, only then will the walk-ins be accommodated.

“If willing sila mohulat, pwede ra pero mas maayo nga maghulat lang usa sa schedule,” said the doctor.

(If they are willing to wait, then it is okay but it would be better if they will just wait for their schedule.)

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