Gov’t eyes monthly Bayanihan, Bakunahan drives —NVOC

The government is eyeing to conduct monthly “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” drives in specific areas to ramp up the country’s vaccination rate, the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) said Monday.

NVOC chairperson Myrna Cabotaje confirmed that the government is studying this when asked at the Laging Handa briefing.

“Oo, iniisip natin 'yung iba-ibang strategy. Baka kahit gawin natin buwan-buwan na specific areas siguro o kaya specific target. Nakita natin na medyo kailangan natin taasan 'yung atin pang senior citizens,” she said.

(Yes, were are thinking about other strategies. We could make that monthly in specific areas or specific targets. We observed a need to ramp up the vaccination for senior citizens.)

Cabotaje said around 2.5 million senior citizens remain unvaccinated.

Data from the National COVID-19 vaccination dashboard shows that around 5 million seniors have received at least one dose while 6.2 million have been fully vaccinated against the illness.

Around 1.5 million seniors have received booster shots.

Meanwhile, Cabotaje said more than 1.5 million individuals have been vaccinated during the third wave of the “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” program.

Alert level 1

The Health official also said the government must first increase the vaccination rate among senior citizens before de-escalating the alert level in the National Capital Region.

NCR was placed under Alert Level 2 from February 1 to 15.

“Marami sa ating mga areas sa NCR medyo mababa ang coverage, ‘yung A2, ‘yung ating senior citizens. While 99% ang fully vaccinated, kapag tinignan mo sa lahat ng priority groups, kailangan pa nating i-push 'yung A2,” she said.

(Many areas in NCR have a low coverage for the A2, our senior citizens. While 99% is fully vaccinated, if you look at the priority groups, we still need to push the A2.)

Cabotaje said  100% of the eligible population in NCR has received the first dose while 99% have been fully vaccinated.

?“Ang kailangan pataasin pa sa NCR is 'yung ating booster doses (what we need to increase in NCR is the booster doses),” she said.

Cabotaje said 61.4 million individuals have been fully vaccinated nationwide while around 9 million have received booster shots.—AOL, GMA News