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| At least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is administered to 45.3 percent of the target population in Eastern Visayas, according to DOH EVCHD. PHOTO: HueMan1, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
TACLOBAN CITY — According to the most recent data from the Eastern Visayas COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard, a total of 1,523,847 region residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines.
This represents 45.3 percent of the region's target population of 3,362,638 people, or roughly 70% of the actual population. This leaves Eastern Visayas with the remaining 1,838,791 residents who will need to be vaccinated in order for the region to achieve herd immunity.
The DOH EVCHD has pursued vaccination ramp-up initiatives in the region's LGUs – municipalities, cities, and provinces – and assisted in implementing vaccination roll-outs by providing technical assistance and ensuring an adequate supply of COVID-19 vaccines.
This is also a way to garner support from Local Government Units and their respective Local Chief Executives, as each has a critical role to play in implementing the region's increased vaccination activity, which aims to vaccinate 70% of the population by the end of the year.
Through collaborative efforts and close coordination among various sectors in the region, the province of Biliran leads the region in COVID-19 vaccination coverage at 78.3 percent, followed by Ormoc City at 70.5 percent, Tacloban City at 62.6 percent, Southern Leyte at 52 percent, Eastern Samar at 51.5 percent, Leyte at 44.4 percent, Northern Samar at 32.4 percent, and Western Samar at 32.2 percent.
Additionally, as of Monday, November 15, several municipalities throughout Region VIII had vaccinated 70% or more of their target population. Almeria in Biliran has the highest coverage rate of all municipalities at 89.9 percent, followed by Capul, Biliran, Caibiran, Culaba, Tunga, Maripipi, Padre Burgos, Naval, Cabucgayan, Limasawa, Kawayan, and Ormoc City.
While the region has vaccinated 27.8 percent of its target population or 935,177 people, the DOH EVCHD and its partner agencies remain committed to vaccinating at least 3 million people in Eastern Visayas.
Even as the region moves toward herd immunity and increased vaccination, the DOH EVCHD reminds everyone—vaccinated or not—to continue to practice public health measures such as physical separation, wearing face masks and face shields, maintaining good hand and respiratory hygiene, and ensuring adequate ventilation by opening windows and doors whenever possible.
Vaccines do not replace critical preventive measures currently being implemented; rather, they serve as additional layers of protection against the severe form of COVID-19. —Tacloban News Update (Source:DOH/PRESS RELEASE)