This is a photo of a jampacked Tisa Barangay Gym during the 1st day of National Vaccination Days in Cebu City on Monday, November 29, 2021. | Contributed Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City is getting closer to reaching its desired herd immunity after it reached its target population for the vaccination of the eligible adult population.
Cebu City has inoculated a total of 736,856 individuals combined for the first and second doses. This is in fact 102.34 percent of the target population, which is only 719,979.
However, this cannot yet be considered as herd immunity as breaking the numbers down, the first dose inoculations is still at 642,329 or 89.21 percent while the second dose inoculations is still at 504,963 or 70.06 percent.
Doctor Jeffrey Ibones, the City Health Department (CHD) officer-in-charge, said that herd immunity can be achieved if the total number of fully vaccinated individuals or those who received the second dose will reach 100 percent of the eligible population.
“Ipush gyod nato nga second dose. Dapat completely vaccinated atong population, dili lang partially vaccinated. This is not herd immunity yet, magsige pa tag bakuna,” said Ibones in an interview with CDN Digital.
As for the vaccination of minors aged 12 years old to 17 years old, there are 29,204 minors already vaccinated with at least 9,065 already fully vaccinated.
The CHD attributed the success of the vaccination to the National Vaccination Days last November 29 to December 1, 2021, as more people got the chance to get their first dose.
The vaccination may be suspended due to Typhoon Odette on December 16 and 17, but the vaccination will continue on December 18, 2021, in the fixed sites and pops up.
Mayor Michael Rama welcomed the development of the vaccination program saying that this was always the goal of the city, to inoculate the majority of the population.
The city’s population is currently at 1.1 million and the city leads the entire region among the local government units (LGUs) with the most vaccinated individuals, although it may have been behind in reaching herd immunity.
The mayor said that the city will continue working on the vaccination to inoculate all of the eligible population so that by January 1, 2021, all establishments can open to everyone.
Rama reminds the public that workers will have to present regular negative test results for COVID-19 to work on-site if they refuse to be vaccinated. Also, most establishments will require vaccination cards for entry and for services.
He urged those who refuse to get vaccinated to do so before they suffer the consequences.
/bmjo
READ: Experts propose raising herd immunity goal to 90% of population — DOH