ILOILO City – As of Aug. 19, a total of 200,958 health workers in Western Visayas have been vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the COVID-19 Vaccination Summary of the Department of Health (DOH) in Region 6 showed.
A total of 171,460 health workers initially signified their willingness to get the anti-coronavirus shots.
According to Dr. Daphynie Teorima, medical officer III at DOH Region 6, of these vaccinated health workers, 68.45 percent already completed the recommended doses.
DOH-6’s medical officer IV, Dr. Bea Camille Fillaro-Natalaray, meanwhile, said the numbers went beyond the target. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) expanded the Priority Group A1 to the health workers’ household members and outbound overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) through Resolution No. 117.
“Outbound OFWs for deployment within the next four months from the intended date of vaccination shall be re-categorized to Priority Group A1,” the IATF said.
“Immediate family members of healthcare workers shall likewise be included under Priority Group A1, should supply be available,” it further stated.
Meantime, according to Fillaro-Natalaray, the local government units (LGUs) should also update their master-list of Priority Group A1.
“So seguro dapat lang naton i-verify with the LGUs nga sa master-list nila dapat ma-include sa aton nga denominator ang mga family members sang mga health workers nga upod sa balay and OFWs set to be deployed within four months,” she said./PN
