ILOILO – To curb coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission, this province must prioritize the vaccination of people aged 20 to 35 years old, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.
“Ngaa? Sila ang nagadamo positive (for COVID-19) kay sila ang naga-circulate,” Defensor said, citing data from the Provincial Health Office (PHO).
Most infections in the province were in the age group of 21 to 30 years old, mostly employed, the governor pointed out.
“Protektahan mo ang naga-guwa kay sila man ang nagalaton sang senior citizens and persons with comorbidities kon magpauli sa balay,” Defensor told Panay News.
“Kon protektahan mo ‘na sila kundi mas safe ang aton vulnerable populations,” he added.
But these 20 to 35 year olds were at a much farther queue for inoculation “thus the need to adjust our vaccination program.”
According to the PHO as of April 29, 1,530 of the province’s total infections were aged 21 to 30 years old.
Here are the number of cases in the other age groups:
* 31 to 40 years old – 1,242 cases
* 41 to 50 years old – 927 cases
* 51 to 60 years old – 730 cases
* 11 to 20 years old – 444 cases
* one to 10 years old – 272 cases
* less than one year old – two cases
“Unahon mo siempre ang naga-atinder sang nagamasakit and frontliners… Ikaduha ang vulnerable and senior citizens and aton mga persons with co-morbidities, pero tagaan ta man priority ang age group nga naga-circulate sa sagwa,” Defensor said.
FINDING AVAILABLE VACCINES FAST
The governor also reiterated that the provincial government is looking for vaccines available in the market so it could procure them as soon as possible.
Last week, the provincial government sent Russia’s Gamaleya Research Institute a letter of intent for some 275,000 doses of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine.
The pharmaceutical body, however, has yet to respond, Defensor said.
Early this year, Defensor representing the provincial government signed a tripartite agreement with British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca and the National Task Force against COVID-19.
The pact greenlighted by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan secured the province 270,000 doses of AZD1222 Vaccine priced at $1,350,000 or roughly P64.9 million.
The doses are expected to inoculate more or less 135,000 Ilonggos./PN
