BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Fifty-five percent of the target population in Negros Occidental are already fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The 55 percent is equivalent to 1,154,177 Negrenses, data from the Provincial Health Office (PHO) as of Feb. 12 showed.
The target is 2,098,421 people.
La Carlota City and Cadiz City have the highest vaccination achievement so far – over 70 percent of their population already fully-vaccinated.
Areas in the province which still have a number of residents yet to be vaccinated were the cities of Bago, Kabankalan, and San Carlos, as well as the towns of Cauayan and Calatrava.
Negros Occidental has a total population of 2,623,026, and the required number for the province to hit population protection is 80 percent or 2,098,421.
People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales.
These droplets also land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth.
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough.
Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don’t feel unwell.
Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment, according to the World Health Orgaization.
Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness./PN
