The COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out in the region was shared by the DOH R2 during the Joint Meeting of the Cagayan Valley Regional Development Council (RDC 2), RDC Advisory Committee (AdCom), Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC), Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCALC) and Special Committee on Balik Probinsya Bagong Pagasa Program held on March 20 in Ilagan City, Isabela.

DOH R02 Representative, Dr. Elsie Pintucan, reported that 24 percent or 13,921 out of the 59,057 frontline health workers in Region 2 have been inoculated since the start of the vaccination program on March 7. The vaccinated health workers are assigned in the COVID-19 dedicated facilities and Levels 1 and 2 hospitals in the region.

Dr. Pintucan said the progress in vaccination program is largely dependent on the availability of the vaccines from the DOH Central Office. “To date, the region received a total of 15,990 doses of vaccines, comprised of 10,640 of Sinovac and 5,350 of AstraZeneca vaccines. As per record, 87 percent have already been consumed as of March 20”, she added.

Based on the DOH R02’s COVID-19 Vaccine Roll-out plan, the prioritization strategy is hinged on the goal to reduce mortality and preserve the region’s health system capacity. Thus, the DOH ensured that workers in the frontline health services topped the priority list followed by the senior citizens, persons with co-morbidities, frontline personnel in essential sectors including uniformed personnel and the indigent population.

By the end of 2021, DOH R02 targets to vaccinate 70 percent or 1.3 million residents of the region aligned to the 70 percent target nationwide. Given the uncertainty of the delivery of vaccines, RDC Chair and Isabela Governor Rodolfo T. Albano III requested the DOH to provide the timetable on the availability and arrival of vaccines as well as its roll out in the region.