By Sarwell Meniano / Philippine News Agency
The island town of Capul in Northern Samar has achieved 85% coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination coverage, the highest among 24 municipalities in the province, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Tuesday.
During the two-day vaccination roll-out on November 12 to 13, at least 2,280 residents of Capul town have been administered the Pfizer vaccine. This was the first time that the brand was shipped to the island town.
“With this recent addition, 85 percent of Capul’s target population for COVID-19 vaccination have already received at least one dose of the vaccines. This means that only 1,422 individuals from its target population remain to be unvaccinated,” the DOH regional office said in a statement.
The COVID-19 vaccination drive in Capul is targeting 9,476 residents with 8,054 having been inoculated. The town has a population of 13,323 as of 2020.
Of the 8,054 vaccinated residents, some 4,750 or 50 percent of the target have received complete doses.
The vaccination drive is a collaboration of rural health unit nurses, pharmacists, village health workers, local government workers, the municipal health office led by Gillashe Calamay, and a team from the Northern Samar provincial health office.
“The residents queued as early as 6 a.m. for the registration process, eager to receive their first jab of the Pfizer vaccines. This was participated by the general population eligible for vaccination, including those under the Pediatric group ages 12 to 17 years old,” the DOH added.
DOH regional information officer Jelyn Lopez-Malibago said Capul town ranks second in Eastern Visayas in terms of high vaccination coverage.
The first is the town of Almeria Biliran with an 89.9 percent inoculation rate.
“There were vaccination drives in Capul town in the past targeting the priority group, but the two-day roll-out for Pfizer vaccines has made vaccines available to all residents,” Malibago said in a phone interview.
Capul is a 5th class island town in Northern Samar.
It is known for a lighthouse built on the island which served as a guidepost for the Acapulco-Manila galleon trade vessels passing through the waters of San Bernardino Strait. (PNA)-rir
