Davao City now nearing herd immunity

This developed after the city recorded  87 percent or 1,136,577 individuals who have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, based on December 1 data.

According to the same report, Schlosser said the city achieved 75 percent  or 967,053  individuals of the target number who are fully vaccinated. 

“That means we are at 87 percent for the first dose and roughly 75 percent for our second dose. Overall, we are nearing our herd immunity,” she said.

Schlosser emphasized that the city does not only target 70 percent of the population to achieve herd immunity, saying they are aiming for 100 percent.

Based on 2020 data from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the city has a population of 1,825,450.

The city, according to Schlosser, will continue to participate in part two of the National Vaccination Day slated on December 15 and 16.

The vaccine cluster of the Davao COVID-19 Task Force is preparing for the second edition of the Bakunahan with the City Health Office (CHO) and Department of Health (DOH) 11.

The private sector will again be tapped, similar to the just-concluded first part of the nationwide massive vaccination drive.
She said the private sector has been most helpful to the city's vaccination campaign. Establishments and business owners, she said, have been initiating how they can help in achieving herd immunity.

“With or without the National Vaccination Day, we have not closed vaccination hubs. We add and explore different strategies, as much as possible, that are effective. We can cover everybody, especially our vulnerable sector,” she said.

The house-to-house and barangay mobile vaccinations will still continue, as well as dialogues with tribal leaders in far-flung barangays to address the vaccine hesitancy among indigenous people (IP) communities.

All vaccination hubs in the city now cater to walk-ins and for all priority groups.

However, the booster shots, in the meantime, are intended for those under the A1 priority group or the health care workers.