Bohol still at 16.41 %

To herd immunity goal

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Aug 28 (PIA) – Five months and a couple of week after the first vaccine jab was administered in Bohol, the province has since given full protection from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to 16.41% of its population.

A report from the Bohol Inter Agency Task Force (BIATF) for the management of Emerging Infectious Disease dated 1:00 PM August 24, 2021, bared this.

Based on the most recent data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which conducted the 2020 Census on Population and Housing until May 31, 2021, Bohol has attained a population of 1,394,329.

From that figure, BIATF said local vaccine teams have reached out to 160,255 Boholanos who have been given their complete shots against the virus.

Epidemiologists hypothesize that, like all epidemics, COVID can be beaten by attaining a critical mass to be vaccinated.

They said the vaccinating 70% of the entire population would have attained for a place herd immunity or 'population immunity' from the infectious disease.

At 70% of its population, vaccination teams would need to get to 976,030 Boholanos to be vaccinated twice for the two-dose vaccine, and once for Johnson and Johnsons.

While attaining the 70% vaccination rate may be too far off for now, epidemiologists said a 50% vaccination rate of the entire population would already have its desirable effects.

At 50% of the total population, vaccine teams would need to get to 697,164 Boholanos to start experiencing the going down of new cases and deaths.

BIATF spokesperson Dr Cesar Tomas Lopez in fact confirmed that at 50% of the population vaccination rate, the place would start experiencing lessened new active and death cases.

Still, if the 50% vaccination rate is too far-fetched for now, even a 30% vaccination rate would already have some significant milestones in the fight against COVID.

At 30% vaccination rate of the entire population, epidemiologists said the curve would be flattened: the new would cases stabilize and there would be no alarming new deaths.

As to the latest BIATF report, while 160,255 have gotten their two doses, another 151,325 have been given the first shots and wait for another more month to be completely protected.

By then, Bohol could have attained 31.91% vaccinated and fully protected Filipinos. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)