NVOC to intensify efforts in areas with low COVID-19 vaccination output

The National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) is improving its efforts to reach the areas with high vaccination hesitancy and low inoculation output, Department of Science and Technology Vaccine Expert Panel head Dr. Nina Gloriani said Wednesday.

In a radio interview, Gloriani noted the importance of vaccinating people who have yet to receive a dose of COVID-19 vaccine when asked about the possibility of providing additional booster shots.

“Yung ating NVOC at Health Promotions Bureau naghahanap sila talaga ng innovative ways para mahanap itong mga lugar (Our NVOC and Health Promotions Bureau are looking for innovative ways to search for these areas),” she said.

“We have to do more para hanapin sila , puntahahan sila (to find them and go to them),” she added.

According to Gloriani, many regions outside NCR have residents who have yet to receive their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines.

The vaccination percentage in these areas was also low with the highest record of up to 40% of their population and lowest report of around 25% to 30%, she added.

Gloriani pointed out that the transmission of the disease could still continue in areas with such low vaccination percentage.

As of Monday, the National Task Force Against COVID-19 reported that 52,856,932 people are already fully vaccinated.

The government is targeting to have 90 million fully vaccinated people by the end of the second quarter. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News