THE CITY COVID-19 Task Force reiterated the need for Davaoeños to avail of the COVID-19 booster shots as the local government now targets to vaccinate the total population of over 1.8 million.
COVID-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser, during the 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio’s (DCDR’s) COVID-19 Alert program, said the vaccination cluster has gone a long way in administering the first and second doses of vaccines but it was not enough.
She said the booster vaccination rollout needs to be strengthened as the people may have already been complacent with their primary and secondary doses.
“They think na completed na nila ang ilahang first and second dose series of vaccination, enough na sya. But I have to repeat and I will always repeat this to the public, ang booster is another layer of protection (They think that they have already completed their first and second dose series of vaccination, it’s already enough. But I have to repeat and I will always repeat this to the public that the booster is another layer of protection),” she said.
As of Feb. 11, 2022, Davao City was at 85.14 percent (1,292,623) in administering the first doses and 83.31 percent (1,264,857) for second doses based on 80 percent of the city’s total population. The 80 percent of Davao City’s 2022 population is 1,518,288.
Of the 1,264,857 fully vaccinated individuals, only 15.26 percent (192,995) received their booster shots.
Dr. Schlosser said that aside from adding 25 percent protection against the COVID-19 infection, the booster shots also protect people against the severity of the disease. As long as COVID-19 is still around, people can still get infected with or without the vaccine. But having a booster will add another layer of protection.
She added, “Ang severity of the disease, katong magkaroon ng moderate, severe, and critical type of COVID-19, kato atong i-avoid, which is kung kining klase nga mga cases makakuha ta ani, because wala ta’y added protection o wala ta’y protection at all, dako og chance mao ang reason na mamatay ta sa COVID-19 (The severity of the disease that makes a person manifest a moderate, severe, or critical type of COVID-19, that’s what we are trying to avoid. If we get any of these types without added protection or we don’t have any protection at all, there’s a great chance that we would succumb to COVID-19).”
Minor adverse reactions after vaccination are expected, she said, but she underscored the fact that nobody has died from getting a COVID-19 vaccine in Davao City. She cited that expected minor side effects include fever, pain at the inoculation site, body pain, and headache.
“Sa fake news naa daw nangamatay sa booster in Davao City. We would like the public to know, wala gyud namatay because of the booster. We have to be transparent sa public. Kung makadaot ang bakuna, why will we promote this (Fake news said some people died due to the boosters in Davao City. We would like the public to know that nobody died due to the boosters. We have to be transparent to the public. If the vaccine is dangerous, why would be promoting this)?” Dr. Schlosser asked.
