By Manny Balbin/Philippine News Agency
The provincial government here has started the conduct of its accelerated vaccine rollout program to hasten the protection of Bulakenyos against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bulacan Provincial Health Office (PHO) targets to inoculate at least 2.7 million of its eligible adult population.
A total of 350 residents, including senior citizens and adults with comorbidities, in Barangay Malis, Guiguinto, were the first to avail of the ramped-up vaccination drive on Thursday.
“Hopefully, kapag nagtuluy-tuloy ang pagdadala sa atin ng mga bakuna, maaabot natin ang ating minimithing herd immunity at sana sa darating na December ay magkaroon na tayo ng masayang Pasko,” Governor Daniel Fernando said in an interview on Friday.
He also said Bulacan needs more nurses and doctors.
“Kung meron man kayong mga kamag-anak o kaibigan na nurse o doktor ay kumbinsihin n’yo sila na mag-apply sa ating pamahalaang panlalawigan dahil sa kakulangan natin ng mga front-liners na mag-aalaga sa ating mga COVID-19 patients,” he added.
The province recorded 661 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, raising its active carriers to 3,513.
Felicisima Mungcal, chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said that of the total active cases, 776 (22 percent) are admitted in hospitals, 138 (4 percent) are in temporary treatment and monitoring facilities, and 2,599 (74 percent) are on home isolation.
Out of the total of 63,821 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the province, she said 59,111 or 93 percent have recovered and 1,197 died.
The province is under modified enhanced community quarantine until Sept. 30.
(PNA)-rir
