CORTES, Bohol, May 6 (PIA) -- COVID-19 vaccination for the general population in Bohol has reached 86.21%, but then with senior citizens group still at 64.49%, there is still no rest for the local teams who have to continue to convince elders that vaccination is the only way to enjoy the golden sunset.

This is 16.21% past the target for herd or community immunity, where even with COVID-19 threat, it cannot significantly affect communities anymore with majority of the people in the communities protected and incapable of transmitting the virus anymore.

During the recent Kapihan sa PIA, nurse Machiavellia Caliao, who sits in the Emergency Operations Center of the Bohol Inter Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (BIATF EID), said that of the 1,382,600 population in Bohol, vaccination for at least the primary dose has reached 960,290 individuals, which accounts for 86.21% accomplishment.

And of the 960,290 vaccinated individuals, only 827,900 have had the succeeding doses.

Other than the 60 years old and above, there is still some concern on kids 5 years old to 11, as their vaccination tally only reached 44.52%.

For the 5 to 11 year-olds, however, one of the issues that the vaccination team encountered is the low supply of the specific vaccines for these ages, according to Caliao.    

Caliao, however, said that they will continue to push on with the children’s vaccination against the highly contagious viral disease as soon as the vaccine delivery arrives.

She also shared the recent results in the 12 to 17-year old vaccination which have attained 116.59%  and the 18-59 which have gone down to 95.49%.

As COVID vaccines need to be stored in ultracold storage freezers, those who finally decide to get their anti-COVID shots can go to the back parking of the new Capitol, where a vaccination team is always placed on standby duty.

As Bohol remains under COVID Alert Level 2, health authorities reported 739 confirmed COVID-related deaths since March 16, 2020.

As of May 6, Tagbilaran City has recorded 11 COVID cases.

Other towns with confirmed cases on the first week of May are Jagna and Clarin with four cases each, Duero with 3, and Garcia Hernandez and Tubigon with 2 cases each.    

Other towns with at least a single COVID case are Loay, Ubay, Valencia, San Miguel, Panglao, Loon, Pilar, Dauis, Candijay, Trinidad, and Antequera.  (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)