Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas has urged parents to have their children 5 to 11 years old be vaccinated as protection against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and for those eligible to get booster shots.
In an interview on Tuesday, the city mayor said the city has to gradually prepare for the new normal as other countries are already preparing for the health pandemic to be just endemic.
“But we still need to encourage more parents to bring their children to be vaccinated and to be boosted. Our booster rate is slow so we look for ways like introducing drive-thru and opening our health centers. Hopefully with this we can encourage them to get booster shots and get their children vaccinated,” he said.
Data from the Regional Operations Vaccination Center (RVOC) showed that 2,190 children from 5 to 11 years old or equivalent to 3.54 percent of the 61,872 target population for the said age group have availed of their first dose of the reformulated Pfizer vaccine as of February 21.
For 12 to 17 years old, at least 2,492 with comorbidities and 43,242 of the rest of the pediatric population in the age group have availed of their second dose.
For other sectors, Iloilo City has posted a 121.80 percent accomplishment in terms of fully vaccinated population.
Iloilo City targets to inoculate 61,872 for 5 to 11 years old, around 50,000 for 12 to 17 age group, and 525,000 for other eligible populations.
In the same interview, the mayor said that it seemed that there is no longer a chance that the local government’s appeal to de-escalate its classification from Alert Level 3 down to Level 2 will be considered.
On February 14 Treñas filed an appeal before the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for a lower status due to the city’s “remarkable decrease” in Covid-19 cases.
On Feb. 18, he issued Executive Order No. 016 implementing the Alert Level 3 in the city, which also lifts the curfew and the ban of alcoholic drinks in public places effective immediately until the end of the month.
“We know the situation here, cases are going down and we really need to allow the economy to grow,” he said.
Treñas emphasized that while the local government allowed economic activities to resume, it is important that minimum public health standards and health protocols will continuously be observed.
Data from the Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH WV CHD showed that as of Tuesday, Iloilo City has 990 active cases, 29, 431 recoveries, and 676 deaths. (PNA)
