‘PinasLakas’ COVID vax

campaign up in Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, September 12 (PIA)--The Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas recently launched the "PinasLakas" campaign for COVID-19 vaccination in the province of Bohol.

The launching program was held at the Island City Mall (ICM) in Barangay Dao, in Tagbilaran City on September 9 and was attended by the DOH 7 headed by regional director Dr. Jaime S. Bernadas, Bohol Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado, Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap, former Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II, various medical professionals, non-government organization (NGO) partners, and the faculty and students of Holy Name University (HNU).

This DOH program caters to all age groups but gives priority to senior citizens, as the number of inoculated senior citizens is still quite low, at only 62.08% are fully vaccinated according to the data from the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA) Bohol.

In his message, Bernadas stressed that this campaign aims to ramp up vaccination coverage among the A2 priority group (senior citizens) to 90% on primary series and the first booster shots to 50% within the first 100 days of the new administration of President ‘Bongbong’ Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.

Bernadas further explained that getting vaccinated will give everyone the necessary antibodies that are crucial in combating the COVID-19 virus and its variants.

As the original dose wanes off over time, it is important to get the booster shots to remind the body about the virus it needs to defend against and to improve or give the immune system a boost. And this campaign, with the help of health workers, also seeks to address any disinformation regarding vaccination to ensure better turnout, Bernadas added.

Gov. Aumentado is thankful for the initiative of President Marcos' directive to have 100 percent booster rate among all eligible Filipinos in line with his policy of no more lockdowns as not to hamper our road to economic recovery amidst the pandemic.

The governor congratulated DOH-7 and said that he is grateful for the continued support to ensure the safety of the Boholanos.

As governor, this is one of his programs and goals; to ensure that Boholanos are vaccinated so that they remain safe from COVID-19, and so that the province can welcome new investors and enable the economy to recover.

Aumentado also assured DOH-7 of the provincial governments continued support on their programs.

In a show of support for the inoculation drive, Gov. Aumentado, former Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap and Chief of the Provincial Health Office, Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot were the first ones to get booster shot during the launching.

The DOH's ‘PinasLakas’ campaign aims to administer 23 million shots by October 8 within the first 100 days of the Marcos administration.

On September 8, the DOH-7, in partnership with the Philippine Information Agency and the Provincial Government of Bohol hosted the Pinaslakas Campaign in Bohol with the Association of United Development Information Officers (AUDIO-Bohol) to help spread the benefits of vaccination to their constituents in time with their monthly meeting held at the Juanito Cambangay Conference Room at the New Bohol Provincial Capitol Building in Tagbilaran City. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)

(L-R) Provincial Health Office Chief, Dr. Reymoses Cabagnot, Gov. Erico Aristotle "Aris" Aumentado, former Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell "Baba" Yap II and a student from Holy Name University (HNU) received their COVID-19 booster shots during the DOH’s launching of "PinasLakas" in Bohol on September 9, 2022 at the Island City Mall in Tagbilaran City. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol)