A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a “Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine” sticker and a medical syringe in this illustration taken Oct. 30, 2020. (File photo from REUTERS)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City will start inoculating the booster shots for medical frontliners (A1), senior citizens (A2), and people with comorbidities (A3) in December 2021.
This was announced by City Health Department (CHD) Officer-in-charge Doctor Jeffrey Ibones on November 22, 2021 as they prepare for the national vaccination days from November 29 to December 1, 2021.
Ibones said that once the national vaccination days will end, the CHD will begin to distribute booster shots or the third dose to qualified priority groups.
“Ang booster shots atong giplanohan sa atong 3-day national vaccination day. Ig December 2, 2021, ato na giingnan atong technical team nga magsugod na ta sa booster shots,” said Ibones.
The schedule was set after the national vaccination days because the CHD will be too busy to handle the three-day event and will not have enough time or personnel to inoculate boosters.
New vaccination card
As of now, the CHD is also preparing the database for those who are eligible for booster shots, including the new card that will be issued to them after the inoculation.
“Ang iyahang card, maghimo tag another card kay di pwede isumpay. We need to give the vaccinee another card,” said the chief doctor.
In order to avail of the booster shot, the individual must have received his or her second dose for at least six months prior to the booster shot.
Those who received their second dose or single-shot dose vaccines less than six months ago cannot get the booster shot yets, which is why the CHD is confident that there will not be many vaccinees who will be flocking the sites yet.
“Kana ra gyod, kinahanglan, six months beyond kay basin naay moditso didto nga bag-o ra nabakunahan. Makakuha siya sa guideline nga six months, pwede na siya,” said Ibones.
So far, based on the database of the city government, only a few A1 priority group, less than 1,000, are eligible for the booster shots, as the vaccination in the city began in March 2021.
They expect a rise in booster inoculation to rise next year when majority of the population has reached six months since their vaccination.
/bmjo
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