CEBU CITY, Cebu, Feb. 9, (PIA) -- The Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) and the local government units (LGUs) in Region 7 are set to roll out the 3rd National Vaccination Days (NVD) also dubbed as “Bayanihan Bakunahan” on Feb. 10 to 11.

Similar with the first two rounds of the “Bayanihan Bakunahan," DOH-7 is encouraging all national government agencies (NGAs), LGUs, private sectors, and other partners and stakeholders to provide their full participation for the said activity.

The third national vaccination days in Central Visayas aims to inoculate 467,576 individuals who are eligible to receive their booster doses and to vaccinate more people who have yet to be vaccinated with either their 1st or 2nd dose.

For the two-day “Bayanihan Bakunahan," DOH-7 can administer the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine brand for 1st and 2nd doses.

The heald department also deployed 390 vaccination teams who will facilitate the two-day vaccination program in the region.

Each vaccination team can inoculate at least 150 individuals a day, and these vaccination teams were assigned across the 309 vaccination sites in Central Visayas.

In his radio interview over the “KASAYURAN” program on Feb.9, Medical Officer IV and Program Manager of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases of DOH-7 Dr. Van Phillip B. Baton said they are looking to vaccinate more than half of the target.

He urged the LGUs to simplify their processes during vaccination as there is no need for those individuals who will get their 2nd or booster dose to make another registration.

“LGUs should streamline the vaccination processes and we are encouraging our implementers to make it easier for our people to get vaccinated. We must also observe the minimum health protocols during the actual vaccination at the different vaccination sites," Baton said.

“We have been encouraging our workers in the field at different levels including our barangay health workers to really be an agent of information especially on how to get registered, and inform the vaccination team if there are people who are willing to get vaccinated but who have difficulties going to the vaccination sites," he added. 

For the third round of NVD, the national government is targeting to administer a total of six million COVID-19 vaccine doses, of which two million doses are intended for primary doses (1st and 2nd dose) while four million doses are slated for booster shots.

To date, around 59.8 million Filipinos are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while around 8 million Filipinos have already received their booster shot. (RGC/PIA7)