CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) recorded the highest number of vaccinees during the first day of the three-day national vaccination day that started last Monday and will end today.

Department of Health-Calabarzon Regional Director Ariel Valencia said the region (4-A) has administered a a total of 216,357 jabs as of 3 p.m. yesterday followed by Region 5, with 192,160; and 133,000 for Region 3, as reported by the National Covid-10 Vaccination Operations Center.

The province with the highest number of vaccinees is Batangas, with 60,681; followed by Cavite, with 48,636; Laguna – 47,068; Rizal – 35,855; and Quezon – 24,117.

“Nagpapasalamat po ako sa lahat ng vaccination teams sa inyong sakripisyo ngayong araw, lalo na iyong mga hindi nagcut-off at talagang inabot na ng gabi upang lahat ng nagpunta sa kanila ay mabakunahan,” Valencia said.

“Although we haven’t reached our target of 1 million vax per day, the high influx of vaccinees in vaccination centers only shows that people’s hesitancy against the COVID vaccines are waning and they are already voluntarily accepting the COVID-19 vaccines,” said the health official.

Valencia conducted rounds around the province of Rizal, particularly Cainta, Binangonan, and Angono to personally assess and monitor the conduct of the ongoing vaccination at the municipal level.

He also attended the national launching, with President Rodrigo Duterte, at SM Masinag in Antipolo City.

“There are some minor issues that have been observed such as the lack of social distancing dahil na rin sa dami ng taong gustong magpabakuna. Also, there is poor ventilation in some areas but over-all, these were duly noted and coordinated with the LGU concerned,” according to Valencia.

“For vaccines and syringes, we have sufficient allocation and continue to augment supplies of LGUs as per request,” he assured.

There are a total of 1,920 vaccination teams deployed in 411 vaccination sites in various municipalities of the region, including volunteers, health human resource for health, medical staff from NCR hospitals, MMDA personnel and DOH officials engaged as vaccinators.

As of the 3:30 p.m. cut off yesterday, only the provinces of Batangas and Rizal had completed the submission of the report.

The regional office is still waiting reports from the local government units of Cavite, particularly Carmona, Gen. Trias, Indang and Naic; from Laguna – Sta Rosa, Victoria, Famy, Mabitac and Paete; Quezon – no report yet from Burdeos, Lucban, Mauban, Polillo, Sampaloc, Lucena City, Candelaria, Gen Luna, Macalelon, Padre Burgos, San Andres, San Francisco, Alabat, Atimonan and Gumaca,

Valencia added that there were no AEFI (adverse event following immunization) reported during the first day of the national vaccination day.

“We have already made the necessary adjustments in terms of deployment of manpower, logistics, and other issues on the field gaya ng pagdaragdag pa ng mobile at walk-in vaccination centers kung kinakailangan. And hopefully today, we can be more successful and achieve the target we have set of 1 million jabs a day,” he said