City Incident Management Team (IMT) Safety Officer and City Health Officer Dr. Fi Atencio reported an unsettling low number of vaccinated senior citizens in Puerto Princesa City during Episode 3 of the “Gabay sa Bakuna” of the COVID-19 Vaccination Council (PPC-COVAC).
“51% lang po ang bakunadong senior citizen at kahit sa ospital marami pa rin po [ang] namamatay na unvaccinated COVID[-19] infection from senior citizen [age bracket],” said Dr. Atencio.
Based on the data of the IMT Emergency Operation Center, the city has recorded mortality of 60. And out of this number, 48 are 51-years-old and above, while 6 each from 21 to 40-years-old and 41 to 50-years-old age bracket.
Out of 60, 54 are unvaccinated, 1 received their first dose and 5 were fully vaccinated with an average of 64-years-old.
Dr. Atencio is also pleading that the elderlies take advantage of the upcoming 3-day National Vaccination to get inoculated against COVID-19.
“Please, magpabakuna po yung ating mga indigents and also yung mga senior citizen… Dito sa magaganap na national immunization day, we hope that our senior citizen will also be given priority and also magpabakuna na po kayo. We have high percentage of death from COVID-19 infection from elderlies na hindi pa po nakakapagpabakuna,” added by the PPC-IMT Safety Officer.
She explained that many are still reluctant to get the jab because they believe that this may lead to death but she assures them that side effects are normal and getting infected has a higher chance of causing mortality especially to those who are unvaccinated.
“…’yung iba takot kasi baka mamatay sila sa COVID vaccine. There will still be [a] higher chance of death when you contact COVID-19 infection and you are not protected at all,” explained Atencio.
“I know that some of you are very afraid or still scared of the COVID-19 vaccination. But, you must understand that lahat po kasi merong pros and cons…which is lahat naman po ng foreign sa ating katawan will have side effects. And it’s part of it kasi they’re foreign [kasi] hindi sila part ng ating katawan. But, if you’re going to weigh the benefit from the harm…always understand why we are encouraging everyone to get vaccinated,” added Atencio.
As of November 24, the PPC-COVAC has inoculated 116,096 residents, where 79,644 are fully vaccinated while 36,452 are awaiting their second dose.
The doctor is also hoping that many will soon decide to get vaccinated for the city to finally attain herd immunity by early 2022.
“Again, sana po by early next year maabot na natin yung herd immunity so that we can go on with our lives and magawa na rin po natin yung mga dapat gawin and makapag-umpisa tayo ulit paunti-unti.”
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