KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- DOH-CHD 12 Regional Director Aristides Concepcion Tan urged all eligible individuals to get their booster dose against the coronavirus disease, emphasizing that the level of immunity that the primary series doses provide wanes over time. 

"Booster shot is really required now considering that the level of immunity given by the primary series or the two initial shots of COVID vaccine will just give a level of immunity for a certain period. Eventually, after time, the status of immunity will be reduced," Director Tan said in a press conference Monday. 

"There is a need to increase the immunity of the Filipinos against COVID-19 so that we will be on our way to recovery, and recovery in terms of economy," he added. 

Tan revealed in the said presser that only 9.92 percent of the target population for vaccination in Region 12 have received 1st booster dose and merely 0.51 percent have so far returned for their second booster shot. 

On Monday,  the Department of Health-Center for Health Development 12, the Provincial Government of South Cotabato, and national line agencies launched "Sa Booster PinasLakas" COVID-19 vaccine campaign at the Provincial Capitol. 

PinasLakas vaccination campaign was also launched at the Regional Prime Center in Carpenter Hill, Koronadal City, Monday afternoon

PinasLakas campaign aims to cover at least 90 percent of senior citizens with the primary COVID-19 shots and 50 of its eligible population with at least the 1st booster shot on or before October 8, 2022, the 100th day of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration. 

Targets for the intensified vaccination in Soccsksargen Region are at least 74,898 senior citizens given the primary series of COVID-19 vaccine to achieve 90 percent coverage among A2 population and 1,332,584 eligible individuals given at least one dose of vaccine to attain 50 percent booster coverage. 

Data from the DOH-CHD 12 indicate that as of August 13, a total of 2,482,469 (75.81%) of the 3,274,479 target population are already fully vaccinated. 

However, based on the same data set, only 324,808 (9.92%) of the target population have received the 1st booster dose against COVID-19 and only 16,568 (0.51%) have 2nd booster dose.

DOH CHD 12's jurisdiction covers the provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and Sarangani, and the city of General Santos. (PIA XII)