Davao City – To increase the number of vaccinees getting booster shots, the city government will open vaccination hubs on weekends to accommodate individuals who cannot show up during weekdays.
“We have already reached beyond our population immunity for the fully vaccinated individuals in the city but our problem now is we have a very low turnout of people getting booster shots. So, the hubs are open on weekends and we will accept walk-ins, we are making it very convenient for the people to get the booster shots,” said Dr. Michelle Schlosser, focal person of the Davao City Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Task Force, over a radio interview here Friday.
Vaccination hubs at Crocodile Park and the People’s Park will accept adults, and youngsters aged 12-17 to receive booster shots, Schlosser said.
The health official noted that of the 84.19 percent fully vaccinated individuals in the city, only 15,289 have gotten the booster shots from the Department of Health – Davao Region’s (DOH 11) record as of March 4, its most recent data yet.
The city has a total population of 1,776,949 based on the 2020 population census by the National Economic and Development Authority – 11.
“We highly urged Dabawenyos to get on this opportunity that we have many vaccines on hand, they can now choose which brands they like unlike when we were on the (initial) vaccination phases when supply was hard to come by,” Schlosser said.
“We are trying to recover economically, we need to be in full capacity [in our establishments]. Remember that we have already removed the social distancing as a protocol, so the remaining protection that we have are wearing face masks, mandatory hand hygiene, and these booster shots,” she added.
Meanwhile, Schlosser also underscored that private establishments such as malls, restaurants, and other businesses will have the liberty to decide on the customers they will allow on their premises.
“They will have the power to choose who enters their premises because those are private properties. So if they will only allow people who have received booster shots then we will have to abide,” she said.
On the public’s part, Schlosser said they are highly encouraging residents to get booster doses as these are for free.
Currently, the city’s vaccination for children ages 11 and below is at 138,668 for the first dose, and 127,336 for the second dose. (Christine Cudis)
(Source: Philippine News Agency)