By Frances Mae Macapagat
DAVAO CITY, Aug 4 – The Department of Health XI has heightened its campaign to urge more senior citizens to submit themselves for vaccination.
In the latest DOH Virtual Presser, DOH XI Head of the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit Dr. Rachel Joy Pasion called out the unvaccinated senior citizens to be aware of the latest data showing that the highest fatality rate caused by COVID19 has been to the senior citizens age group.
“ Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen in the data that 15 percent fatality rate belongs to the 60 and above age group or that is equivalent to 1,002 number of deaths,” Pasion said.
Also, since the start of the pandemic, there were 6,667 senior citizens who got infected of COVID19 in Davao region.
Death cases are highest on the said age group as compared to other group such as those aged 20 to 29 which only has 45 number of deaths.
On the Davao Region’s Vaccination Report as of August 2, 2021, the A2 or senior citizen priority group recorded 151,634 vaccination with first dose and 48,915 vaccination with second dose. Of the total masterlisted senior citizen eligible population which is 368,549, the government is still to look for and convince 216,915 senior citizens in Davao Region to get vaccinated.
The DOH, in a department memorandum dated June 23 issued an interim operational guidelines for the implementation of Tutok A2: the Deployment of Vaccination Operations Optimization Strategies to increase vaccination coverage among Priority Group A2.
Identified strategy in the Tutok A2 is the holding of barangay-level or house-to-house pre-registration and by establishing scheduling and pre-registration station in puroks/barangays.
Vaccination teams are encouraged to have a Daily Vaccination Plan to ensure that at least 30 percent of the capacity within a specific day is allotted for the vaccination of senior citizens.
If less than the required number of senior citizens are pre-registered in a day, initiative must be done to deploy social mobilization teams and ensure that senior citizens are provided access to vaccination site within the day.
The DOH has also suggested that a transport system be arranged through LGUs, private partners. This includes schedules and pick-up points for seniors and vaccination teams.
Requirements for senior citizens who wanted to be vaccinated are also loosened. No document is required from the senior citizens prior vaccination.
Reservation of slots for senior citizens through SMS, Viber or Messenger is also allowed.
The DOH has also allowed LGUs to adopt a mobile vaccination strategy in vaccinating bedridden senior citizens. This strategy allows for a mobile vaccination and AEFI composite team to proceed from one house facility to another.
The LGUs may also establish temporary vaccination sites in nursing homes and homes for the aged, or areas with high number of senior citizens. Philippine Information Agency
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