CEBU CITY, Cebu, Jan. 30 (PIA) -- Transport terminals in Metro Cebu, namely the Cebu South Bus and North Bus terminals, are now eyed as additional vaccination sites to ramp up vaccination efforts in Cebu.
According to Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, Department of Health (DOH) Region 7 chief pathologist and spokesperson for the Visayas COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center (VOCC), this developed following a meeting of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV), Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Visayas, DOH-7, and the Project Balik Buhay (PBB).
The meeting was also joined by the Land Transportation and Franchising Board Region 7 (LTFRB-7), Land Transportation Office (LTO) Regin 7, and various transport groups and operators.
Loreche said the meeting aimed to discuss ways of moving forward in ensuring the safety of the transport groups and passengers.
It was agreed during the meeting that vaccination sites in the selected and strategic terminals be set up to make vaccination more accessible to the drivers, their assistants, riding public, and their families as well.
For logistics and staffing of the additional sites, Loreche said this can be planned out with the local government units where the terminals are located.
LTFRB-7 Regional Director Eduardo Montealto said the two possible sites are the South Bus Terminal along Natalio Bacalso Ave., Cebu City, and the North Bus Terminal in Subangdaku, Mandaue City.
Montealto explained that this plan has to be coordinated with and approved by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia since the two terminals are under the management of the provincial government.
He also disclosed that both bus terminals sustained damages due to typhoon Odette on Dec. 16, 2021.
The Ceres Bus management already agreed to have the COVID-19 vaccinations done inside their buses, said Montealto.
He expects other bus companies will also allow vaccination inside their buses.
Ceres buses account for 70% of buses plying the Cebu routes.
LTO-7 Regional Director Victor Emmanuel Caindec also offered the use of the LTO facility along Natalio Bacalso Ave., Cebu City as an additional vaccination site.
The facility is the LTO-7 Malasakit Licensing Office, which Caindec said can be used as a vaccination site for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) drivers.
The move to set up vaccination sites at transport terminals aims to increase the accessibility of jabs to the most number of people.
Currently, vaccination sites are located inside shopping malls, schools, and gymnasiums.
Based on the Vaccine Operation Reporting System (VORS) as of Jan. 24, a total of over five million vaccine doses have already been administered in the entire Cebu.
Of the total, 2,676,843 are first doses, 2,258,831 second doses, and 99,886 booster doses.
Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City, Naga City, Consolacion, Minglanilla, Liloan, and Cordova have achieved a combined First Dose Vaccine Coverage Rate (VCR) of 77.70% (1.891M residents) and a Second Dose Vaccine Coverage Rate (VCR) of 66.31% (1.613M residents).
Vaccinated individuals can still get infected or become breakthrough cases, as they only experience mild symptoms and are less likely to be brought to hospitals.
Home isolation is now being encouraged for those who have mild COVID-19 symptoms, but they still have to inform the barangay and the emergency operations center so they could be monitored and given guidance on proper treatment and isolation protocols. (JSME/ PIA7 with reports from OPAV)
