Mayor Inday Sara Duterte reminded Dabawenyos to get their first and second booster shots now as these are already available in the city’s vaccination sites.
“Remind lang pud ta sa tanan all 18 years old and above are qualified para magpabooster shots. Dili na po ta magdugay dugay og kuha sa atong booster shots (Reminding all 18 years old and above that they are qualified to get their booster shots now and not dilly-dally anymore),” she said during her Special Hours program of the 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) aired on Monday, May 23, 2022.
She said data showed that most severe and critical COVID-19 cases who succumbed to death are unvaccinated.
She also said, “There is a study nga duna’y kinahanglan nga booster shots ang atoang mga 18 above na mga segment sa population who are qualified to get their boosters. Kung makita ninyo sa atoang landscape diri sa Davao, sige ta gapangampanya, naa na’y reminder sa mga tao to get their boosters (There is a study that booster shots are needed for our 18 years old and above segment of the population who are qualified to get their boosters. As you can see in our landscape here in Davao, we have put up campaign materials that remind Dabawenyos to get their boosters). It will save lives.”
While Davao City’s rollout of the premier anti-COVID-19 vaccines remains high at 1,331,671 for the first dose and 1,313,795 for the second dose, the booster rollout saw no significant increase at all.
The mayor said that of the 258,589 individuals who received their first doses, only 7,506 have gotten their second booster jabs.
Mayor Duterte cited common reasons for the hesitancy of Dabawenyos to get their boosters.
“Daghan na kaayo og rason ang mga tao. Una, others feel na enough na ang duha ka doses, ang first and second dose nila. Others say, “We’re too busy, we don’t have time for a booster. Others would say, `Sunod nalang, unya nalang, tan-awon usa namo’. Kadaghanan is because they feel complacent siguro kay dili na nila makit-an nga daghan ang mangamatay and daghan ang mga severe o critical cases. If at all, kung duna’y cases, usually mild and asymptomatic (Others would say, `Next time, or later, we’ll see.’ Most people may have become complacent because they could not see a lot of deaths or more severe or critical cases. If at all, if there are cases, they are usually mild and asymptomatic),” she added.
The presumptive vice president also had her first booster on December 31, 2021, and she only felt pain at the injection site and she was feverish for two days. She continued, “Paghuman ato, wala na, okay na (After that, it was over, and all is well).”
Meanwhile, Davao City COVID-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said mobile vaccinations in national and local government offices are ongoing, ensuring that employees are not just fully-vaccinated but will also receive their booster doses.
Private establishments, according to her, have also given their support to the city’s booster rollout. After meeting with business process outsourcing (BPO) offices, the task force also met with a bankers’ association.
Dr. Schlosser said they will then continue meeting with resorts, restaurants, and malls.
“Mao na atoang pinakahugtan karon, make sure na makareceive og vaccines ang katawhan (We are intensifying the booster rollout, making sure that the public gets the vaccines) before new COVID-19 variants cause us trouble,” she said.
Check this week’s operational vaccination sites for premier, missed, and booster doses at https://www.facebook.com/davaocitygov/posts/150757400799508. CIO
