ILOILO City – To achieve “herd immunity” against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the city government plans to vaccinate 100 percent of the metro’s population.
“The target is really 100 percent inoculation,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Such coverage, according to the mayor, is necessary to achieve herd immunity, a concept in vaccination wherein enough people in a specific area are protected against infectious disease.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), community or “herd” immunity refers to the control of a variety of contagious diseases, including measles, influenza, measles, mumps, and pneumococcal disease.
When a critical portion of the population is immunized against a communicable disease, WHO said there will be little opportunity for outbreak, protecting most members of that community from that disease.
Iloilo City has a population of about 474, 250.
As of Dec. 29, the metro had a total of 4,652 COVID-19 infections – 4,386 of which recovered, leaving 116 active cases being monitored.
VACCINE FUND
The city government is ready to spend P200 million for the procurement of coronavirus vaccine should this become available next year.
Without divulging further details, the mayor said he already identified the source of fund.
In early December, the Sangguniang Panlungsod approved the city’s P2.7-billion executive budget for next year.
There could also be a public-private partnership approach to the vaccination program.
An online art gallery run by the mayor’s daughter has been selling art works, in which proceeds are supposed to go to raising funds to purchase COVID-19 vaccines.
Meanwhile, Treñas cited a recent dialogue with vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr., where the latter said those not covered by the fund allotted by the city government will be shouldered by the national government.
The mayor also disclosed there are private companies that signified to fund the immunization of their employees.
But there should be a tripartite agreement first between private companies, the national government’s Inter-Agency Task Force and the vaccine company, Treñas said.
“Isa ka requirement kon mabakal ang private companies sang vaccine, ang tunga i-donate sa national government,” Treñas further said.
‘VOLUNTARY’
Getting the anti-coronavirus shots will not be mandatory, stressed Mayor Treñas.
“Waay ni ya pilitay. Ang indi magpa-immunize for one reason or another…Indi kita mag-pilit,” the mayor pointed out.
He said only those who are willing should get the vaccine shots after being informed of the possible side effects and there would be informed consent. There will also be strict protocols before vaccines could be administered.
Treñas earlier said city hall workers and barangay officials, who are considered frontline workers, will be prioritized.
BRACING
While the city is waiting for the vaccine, local authorities are also preparing for the possible entry of a new strain of COVID-19 first detected in United Kingdom.
“We have to be ready. In case there are incidents nga may makit-an kita diri then we will implement tighter quarantine,” said Treñas.
According to health experts, although the new strain is not deadlier than other circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2, it appears transmission in the new strain is increased by as much as 25 or 30 percent.
“Kon may ara gid man, i-lockdown iban nga barangays para mapasiguro ta nga indi maglapta,” Treñas added.
There has been no confirmed case of the new COVID-19 strain from in the Philippines so far./PN