The National Capital Region and Quezon Province have been classified as low risk for COVID-19, while Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal remained at moderate risk, according to the OCTA Research.
In Mindanao, some highly urbanized cities remained at high risk category, while the cities of Cotabato and Iligan are at moderate risk. The group said Guimaras is the lone province with a positive growth rate in new COVID-19 cases.
The Department of Health (DOH) said all regions are at low to moderate risk, except for Region 12 which is at high risk, which also prompted the government to prioritize it in the third round of its massive COVID-19 immunization drive “Bayanihan Bakunahan.”
“While bumababa na ‘yung mga kaso niya, wala siyang mga kaso, sana hindi maging dahilan ito para maging complacent sila,” National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) chairperson USec. Myrna Cabotaje said.
“May pag-asa pa rin na tumaas ‘yung mga cases later on, kaya kailangan pa rin i-push ‘yung bakunahan lalo na sa Region 12 kasi marami pa rin silang hindi nababakunahan ng first dose at second doses,” she added.
Meanwhile, National Task Force (NTF) Against COVID-19 medical adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa said only five regions have reached a 70% vaccination target.
“We do hope umakyat pa to more than 50 or 60% sa iba pang mga regions, so sana makatulong itong Bayanihan Bakunahan sa mga naghe-hesitate pa,” he said.
The government targets to administer five million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in the third round of the Bayanihan, Bakunahan. The NVOC said local government units can extend their vaccination drives depending on the availability of supply in vaccination sites.
Herbosa said the government aims to fully vaccinate 70 million Filipinos by March 31. This is in line with the government’s goal to fully vaccinate 90 million individuals by the end of President Duterte’s term.
To date, over 59.8 million Filipinos have completed their primary doses while eight million individuals have received booster shots. – Report from Mark Fetalco/AG-rir
