THE Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH 7) will push for additional strategies to ramp up the Covid-19 vaccination coverage in all highly populated low performing areas in the region as it named the worst performers.In his regional situationer report on Friday, March 18, 2022, DOH 7 Director Jaime Bernadas said they have identified the low performing local government units (LGUs) not just in the vaccination for the general population but also for senior citizens.As of March 17, the 10 low performing LGUs in Cebu Province in terms of 80 percent vaccination for the total eligible population were Aloguinsan, Tabogon, Alegria, Tuburan, Dumanjug, Dalaguete, San Francisco, Tabuelan, Carcar City and Pinamungajan.In Bohol, Bernadas identified them as Buenavista, Cortes, Talibon, Getafe, Bien Unido, Inabanga, Danao, Trinidad, Carmen and Catigbian.In Negros Oriental, the low performing LGUs were La Libertad, Siaton, Manjuyod, Guihulngan City, Sta. Catalina, Mabinay, Jimalalud, Bindoy, and the cities of Tanjay and Bais.While Siquijor is already under the New Normal or Alert Level 1, its three low performing LGUs are Lazi, Maria and San Juan.Bernadas further identified Cebu Province and Negros Oriental as still having a large target of senior citizens to vaccinate in order to achieve the 68 percent vaccination ratio.As of March 17, Bernadas said Cebu Province had vaccinated only 41.75 percent of its 245,782 senior citizens while Negros Oriental had jabbed only 47.60 percent of its 119,450 seniors.In Cebu Province, the LGUs with the largest targets of senior citizens to vaccinate are Balamban, Bantayan, Barili, Carcar City, Daanbantayan, Dalaguete, Pinamungajan, San Fernando, Toledo City, Talisay City, Consolacion and Tuburan.In Negros Oriental, LGUs with large target senior citizens are Bindoy, Canlaon City, Bayawan, Guihulngan, La Libertad, Manjuyod, Sta. Catalina and Siaton.Bernadas said the DOH 7 will deploy employees to accompany and conduct preparations in barangays to encourage senior citizens who refused to get vaccinated during mobile vaccination efforts of LGUs.They will also reorient the health workers through DOH-deployed employees to focus on the need to provide reassurance and emotional support during the vaccination.