WHO congratulates PHL for vaccinating 70 percent of population; urges Covid jabs for still unvaxxed 2.5M elderly

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Identifies provinces with high numbers of still unvaccinated senior citizens

World Health Organization Acting country representative Dr. Rajendra Yadav speaking during a Laging Handa press briefing on Friday, February 11, 2022 (Courtesy PCOO)

 

(Eagle News) – The World Health Organizaton recognized and congratulated the Philippine government for being able to vaccinate at least 70 percent of its eligible population, but stressed the need to vaccinate the 2.5 million senior citizens that had not received a primary dose.

“So we congratulate the Philippine government for vaccinating over 60 million people so far, at least 70% of the eligible population, over 12 years old. So that is really good, “ said acting WHO country representative Dr. Rajendra Yadav in a Laging Handa press briefing on Friday, February 11.

A mass vaccination site at the Metro Manila College in Quezon City on February 8, 2022. The local government of Quezon City with the help of four Barangays (Fairview, North Fairview, Pasong Putik and Sta. Lucia) held a mass vaccination that day as the Philippine government urged more Filipinos to get vaccinated as a protection against severe Covid-19. (Photo by Lorraine Amor for Eagle News Service)

But Yadav said that the unvaccinated 2.5 millon elderly is a cause for worry.

“They have not even received a single dose. So vaccinating older people is one of the most impactful ways to save lives during this pandemic,” he said.

Some of the senior citizens who came to be vaccinated with boosters at the Metro Manila College in Quezon City on February 9, 2022. (Contributed photo by Lorraine G. Amor for Eagle News Service)

Because senior citizens have a high risk for developing severe Covid, and getting hospitalized and dying from Covid-19, it is essential to reach out to them “before another variant causes another surge.”

Especially with the move to lift some of the restrictions in the country, and the likelihood of placing Metro Manila soon under Alert Level 1, vaccinating the elderly is very important, he said.

“With fewer restrictions and high mobility happening now, we could be putting our unvaccinated senior citizens at risk of hospitalization and death,” Yadav said.

-Appeals to governors of provinces with many unvaccinated seniors-

“We appeal to the governors and mayors to do everything in their power to vaccinate our priority groups as soon as possible. We need to vaccinate the high priority groups before another variant causes another surge,” he said.

The acting WHO country representative identified some of the provinces with still very high numbers of senior citizens who had not received a single vaccine dose. These are Cebu, Negos Occidental, Batangas, Cavite and Bulacan.

“So I appeal to these places, the authorities of these places especially the governors and mayors to vaccinate the elderly and then we can already be starting moving into the direction of living with COVID in an endemic form,” Dr. Yadav said.


(Eagle News Service)