The Cebu local government appealed for the prioritization of vaccination over politics due to the possible risk of transmission in the conduct of the 2022 elections activities.
The city’s Emergency Operation Center said the election-related activities may become a main source of COVID-19 transmission, including a possible super spreader event in voting precincts and political gatherings by aspiring candidates.
“Imagine na magtitipon tayo sa mga paaralan at marami rin ang mga political gatherings. Ano pa ang ibang sandata natin kung hindi ang pagbabakuna natin?” Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera said.
“I hope na sa kabila ng ating political exercise dahil divisive ito in nature, pero dahil sa banta ng COVID dapat tayong magkaisa. We have to defeat this enemy first before we venture into political exercise,” he added.
The city said it is hoping the country will not share the experiences of other countries that have seen their COVID-19 cases increase due to political gatherings.
“Mahirap isipin, ang eleksyon na nasa gitna pa tayo ng pandemya… I hope that would be an enough lesson for us na hindi tayo matulad sa kanila,” Garganera said.
Based on the latest Emergency Operation Center data, the critical care occupancy of the city declined to 51.6% while its positivity rate is at 9.91%. It has 1,100 active cases.
Cebu City Police chief Col. Josefino Ligan said apprehensions due to protocol violations also declined along with active cases.
Meanwhile, around 416,000 of the around 700,000 eligible population for COVID-19 vaccination have received their first dose. Around 176,000 are already fully vaccinated. – Report from John Aroa (PTV Cebu)/AG- jlo
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