Expand vaccine express to Mindanao — solon
A Mindanaoan solon is appealing to the government to expand the vaccine express to Mindanao.
Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez has expressed concern over the rising cases of coronavirus disease in many parts of Visayas and Mindanao.
He appealed for Vaccine Express drive-through vaccination project for faster inoculation of vaccines.
He said pandemic response measures like vaccination should now be directed at outbreaks in the provinces, since Covid-19 numbers in Metro Manila or National Capital Region (NCR) have either plateaued or rising and falling by just a small margin.
Rodriguez cited the latest report of OCTA research group labelling several cities in Mindanao and Visayas as areas of concern.
He quoted the group’s report: “Outside the NCR, the areas of concern include Davao City, Bacolod, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro and Tacloban, although there were some welcome news as new cases had a decrease in some noted hotspots, e.g. Bacolod, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, Dumaguete, Butuan.”
The report added: “High hospital bed occupancy (HBUR greater than 70%) was observed in Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, Tuguegarao, Dasmariñas, Butuan, Tacloban, Roxas City and Polomolok (which was at critical level). ICUs were already at critical levels (above 85% utilization) in Davao City, Iloilo City, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Tagum, Cotabato City, San Pablo, Koronadal, Batangas City and Santa Rosa.”
Rodriguez said the latest OCTA assessment “shows the severity of the pandemic in areas outside imperial Metro Manila, which has been receiving much of the attention of the national government and the bulk of Covid-19 vaccines.”
