March 29, 2024

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – This province wants the Covid-19 vaccination rollout to be smooth.
Provincial Health Officer Edward Tandingan said the provincial government unit will issue an executive order creating a Covid-19 Vaccination Task Force whose functions include advocacy in the implementation of the government’s action plan and vaccine rollout.
There will be a sub-committee on risk communication, community education and social mobilization.
“We also have to be prepared and in a position to positively respond to misinformation from so many fronts,” he said, adding part of the preparation is for people to understand the process of vaccination,” Tandingan said.
Health workers in the province have already undergone online training for the vaccine rollout, he said.
Tandingan, during the Feb. 10 virtual meeting of the Provincial COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force (PIATF), reminded city and municipal health offices on the submission of their micro-plans on vaccination procedures to include the organization of their Vaccination Task Force and master list of the priority sectors for vaccination.
“At the provincial level, our role is to provide technical assistance to the city and municipal LGUs over their actual implementation and operation of their plans to include provision of some equipment based on inventory,” he said.
Tandingan said they aim to achieve threshold coverage following the national government’s identified priority groups for vaccination.
At least 70 percent of the population should be inoculated to reach herd immunity against the Covid-19. For wider vaccination coverage, he said they will be asking the LGUs for resources to buy additional vaccines to fill the supply gap.
Tandingan reiterated the importance of following the minimum public health standards as Covid-19 cases continue to surge in the province.
Dr. Bernadette Andaya of the Provincial DOH said the Department of Health-Cordillera is coordinating teams to conduct aggressive contact testing in Tabuk City and in other municipalities from Feb. 17 to 20. – Peter A. Balocnit