THE Cebu City Government has asked the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH 7) to provide Cebu City with a bigger Covid-19 vaccine allocation.
This, after the City was able to use close to 5,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines in just a day.
The DOH 7 delivered 5,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Cebu City on Wednesday, June 23, 2021.
Cebu City Health Department officer-in-charge Jeffrey Ibones said close to 5,000 individuals were also inoculated on Thursday, June 24, at the five vaccination sites in the city, when they resumed the vaccination after one day of closing all sites as there was no supply available.
On Friday, June 25, Ibones said only a few doses were left, adding that the Vaccine Advisory Board reserved 500 doses which were used at the newly opened vaccination site in Brgy. Taptap, an upland barangay in the city.
Ibones said on June 25, only the vaccination sites in Robinsons Galleria, New Normal Oasis for Adaptation and a Home Complex and Brgy. Taptap were open.
The vaccination program in Cebu City was hampered more than thrice because of vaccine unavailability.
The low Covid-19 allocation also keeps the City from opening more vaccination sites, he said.
The City targets to inoculate 70 percent of its total population to achieve herd immunity.
As of June 25, the Management Information and Computer Service data showed 263,494 individuals have registered under the city’s vaccination program.
A total of 71,325 individuals have received their first dose of a Covid-19 shot, while 25,677 are fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, when sought for comment, Visayas Covid-19 Vaccination Operations Center (VVOC) spokesperson Dr. Mary Jean Loreche said she understands the request for more Covid-19 vaccines and the worry of the local government units (LGUs) that the momentum for vaccination may get affected when there is not enough supply.
However, she reiterated that the issue on vaccination is also affected by the vaccination supply, the master list compliance and the preparedness of the vaccination sites of the LGUs.
She said the region is dependent on the availability and allocation from the national government.
Dr. Jaime Bernadas, DOH 7 director, also said the allocations for the municipalities are sub-allocated by their respective provinces. (JJL, WBS)