IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay, Aug 3 -- Sibugay's Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) emphasized that the COVID-19 Delta variant has 60 percent transmitability and is three times contagious than other COVID-19 strains.

Angelica Panganiban, provincial epidemiologist and surveillance and research officer said that unvaccinated individuals are at risk to this variant and vaccination is the best protection one can have.

Recently, the IPHO and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-9, in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) 9, conducted virtual information session on COVID-19 vaccination that were attended by 100 teaching and non-teaching staff headed by its Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Jeanelyn Aleman of the Department of Education (DepEd) Sibugay .

Aleman said the information session is very important, as there are still a lot of teachers and non-teaching personnel who are not yet convinced to accept the jab.

“Ito na ang pinakamagandang opportunity na tayo ay magtanong para sa ating sarili, pamilya at community, para ma address ng kinauukulan, and for us to help advocate this vaccination program.” 

She said, reasons such as fear and vaccine preference misled by fake information are factors why many DepEd teachers have not yet decided to receive the jab .

DepEd Sibugay has more than 6,000  teaching and non-teaching staff (included in the A4 category) according to Aleman, and majority has not yet decided to be vaccinated once their turn come.

Aleman, who is fully vaccinated herself said, to be vaccinated is very important, “gusto natin ng herd immunity, we want to live a new normal, we want to protect ourselves, families and the community, gusto nating bumalik sa pagtuturo (face to face) at makita ang dating mga colleague sa paaralan, but hindi ito lahat mangyayari kung hindi po tayo magpa vaccine.”

“Ang mga parents, gusto na nilang ibalik ang kanilang mga anak sa atin, dahil nakikita nila na hindi easy for them to become parent and at the same time teaching them with the new learning modality,” Aleman added.

The Information Session on COVID-19 vaccination aims to educate the participants on the importance of being vaccinated and to prevent misinformation and disinformation from spreading and to help participants who are undecided, to finally accept the vaccination at the end of the info session. 

This virtual info session is the third in a series. First series was conducted in June with the Municipal and Barangay Information Officers with the MLGOOs and student leaders; and the second session was conducted on July 7 with members of the local media in Sibugay. (RVC/EDT/JPA/PIA9-Zamboanga Sibugay)