The Davao City COVID-19 Task Force bared that the city currently has all brands of anti-COVID-19 vaccines that are safe for Dabawenyos needing first dose, second dose, missed dose, or booster shots.
Davao City COVID-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser, during the COVID-19 Alert program of 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Wednesday, January 26, said: “We have all the brands now. Ginapa-fast track sa atong good mayor ang mga brands na preferred sa mga tao (The mayor is fast-tracking the procurement of vaccine brands that the people prefer).”
She said Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, who chairs the Davao City COVID-19 Task Force, and the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) were correct in saying that some people have vaccine preferences as they may have studied them and found such vaccines as more suitable for them.
“We are working on it. Gusto sa Davao City COVID-19 Task Force, as much as possible, naay choice ang tao sa vaccine. Naa lang siguro gamay nga delay because of procurement but they will receive the vaccine just in time for the second dose (The Davao City COVID-19 Task Force wants to give the people an option to choose their vaccines as much as possible. There might just be a slight delay in the procurement but they will receive the vaccine just in time for the second dose),” Dr. Schlosser said, addressing the concern of those who received the first doses of the Sputnik V and Sinopharm.
Vaccine brands currently available for rollout in the city are Pfizer, Moderna, Sinovac, and AstraZeneca.
She also said that the Vaccine Cluster is hastening the vaccination rollout, “kasi po mao gyud among tumong na mapaspasan sya habang naga-surge para mas daghan tang maproteksyunan (because our goal is to fast-track the vaccination rollout amid the surge so that we can provide protection to more people).”
As of January 21, 2022, Davao City has achieved 94.35 percent herd immunity or target population protection after 1,226,505 Dabawenyos completed their two doses.
The city also recorded 98.51 percent with 1,280,467 individuals inoculated with first doses.
But more work is needed for the booster shots as 154,267 Dabawenyos or only 11.87 percent of the target population protection received their boosters.
Dr. Schlosser said that the coronavirus is not visible, and with the current surge, it could be everywhere.
“Bakuna works. Matakdan man ta but it protects us against the severity of the disease. Pwede nato mapigilan ang kamatayon sa tao. I can assure the public, I will bet my license on it, makatabang gyud sya against the severity of the disease (Vaccination works. We may get infected but it protects us against the severity of the disease. We can prevent deaths. I can assure the public, I will bet my license on it, vaccination helps against the severity of the disease),” she added. CIO