DOH calls on all eligible population to get jabs
WITH the highly contagious COVID Delta variant detected in all regions except possibly the Caraga, the Department of Health reiterated its call for eligible population groups to get vaccinated against COVID for their own protection.
“Patuloy po ang aming panawagan sa mga eligible population groups na magpabakuna na. To all adults already eligible for vaccination, please register with your local government units for immediate vaccination while children are not yet being vaccinated. By vaccinating yourselves, you are also protecting the children as you will shield them from possible COVID-19 infection,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Duque said those eligible to get vaccinated should avail of the government’s free COVID-19 vaccination program to protect themselves and their families against the disease.
Moreover, vaccinated individuals should continue to follow the minimum public health standards such as correctly wearing face masks and face shields, physical distancing, washing of hands, and ensuring proper ventilation.
Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that based on the recent genome sequencing run, the DELTA variant was detected in all regions except CARAGA, clarifying that the three Delta variant cases earlier reported to be from the said region have been verified to be returning overseas Filipinos, not local cases. They are currently in isolation in Metro Manila.
However, she explained that the gnome sequencing results does not mean there is no case with the Delta variant in CARAGA since the sampling does not really cover that much of the population to be able to determine where the variant is.
In another development, data from the Philippine General Hospital showed that the majority of the COVID-19 patients admitted there are unvaccinated.
As of Aug. 15, there are 265 COVID-19 patients admitted. Of this number, 187 are unvaccinated, 25 partially vaccinated, and 53 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The PGH also said there are 13 COVID-19 patients in its intensive care unit (ICU). Among these 13 patients, nine were unvaccinated, two were partially vaccinated, and two were fully vaccinated.
Another eight patients were intubated and on life support in the ICU, six of whom were unvaccinated, one was partially vaccinated, and another was fully vaccinated.
The Philippines has so far fully inoculated 12,460,438 individuals or 17.59% of its 70-million target population and 11.31% of the country’s total population of 109 million.
