The Baguio City Health Services Office is preparing for the rollout of the fourth coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine dose for the adult population as well as the third dose for the 12-17 age group.
City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo said they are just waiting for the go signal from the Department of Health (DOH) to begin administering the doses.
Guidelines for the additional dose protocols will be announced also upon DOH’s approval.
As the city reached its target vaccination rate and COVID-19 cases dwindled, the city had closed down its mega vaccination sites at the University of Baguio, St. Louis University and the Baguio Country Club leaving only the SM Baguio site.
The city strengthened its immunization sites at the various district health centers and the mobile vaccination program to continue reaching out to the still unvaccinated residents.
As of April 18, the city has achieved 100.09 percent vaccination rate (two doses); 104.71 percent (one dose); and 39.96 percent (booster dose) for the target adult population of 281,000.
For the 12-17 age group, it has administered one dose to 90.26 percent and two doses to 86.52 percent of the target population of 40,236 while for the 5-11 age classification, 30.22 percent (one dose) and 21.76 percent (two doses) of the target 46,955.
Meanwhile, the city paid tribute to the administrators of the four mega vaccination sites and an isolation facility for their selfless contributions to the city’s COVID-19 response.
The city honored the University of Baguio (UB) for the use of its gymnasium, the Saint Louis University (SLU) for the use of the Bishop Carlito Z. Cenzon Sports Center, the SM City Baguio for the use of its Basement Parking 2 and its Sunset Terraces, the Baguio Country Club (BCC) for the use of its Cordillera Convention Hall and the Baguio Teachers Camp for the use of 9 of its existing hall as quarantine and isolation facilities.
Asst. City Health Officer Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes said the UB gymnasium was the city’s first mega vaccination site for the vaccination of the target adult population and health workers starting operation March 11, 2021 but had to close on March 31, 2022 to give way for the resumption of limited face-to-face classes in the higher education institution.
The city’s second mega vaccination site was the SLU gymnasium that opened on March 22, 2021 but had to close on March 17, 2022, again for the resumption of face-to-face classes in the institution which gave booster shots to all of its employees and the vaccination of individuals aged 5 to 11.
Initially, the SM City Baguio mega vaccination site was located at the Basement Level 2 from May 11, 2021 to March 15, 2022 then transferred to the Sunset Terraces starting March 19, 2022 and still serving as such.
The BCC mega vaccination site started on June 12, 2021 and the BCC management continues to offer the use of its Cordillera Convention Hall for the vaccination requirements of both residents and tourists alike.
The city also honored the Baguio Teachers Camp, one of the major isolation centers in the city, which opened on April 20, 2020 starting with the use of the Roxas Hall for the quarantine and isolation requirements of returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs) but later accommodated the COVID-19 cases starting September 21, 2020.
Further, the Baguio Teachers Camp also opened the Hernandez Hall and the Superintendent’s quarters and later opened the Quirino Hall and Staff House for these COVID-19 needs
However, the triage and isolation of the ROFs, in partnership with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), transferred from the Roxas Hall to the Benitez Hall, and later to the Magsaysay Hall.
Additional halls, including the Escoda and Romulo halls, were opened by the Baguio Teachers Camp administration to accommodate the increasing COVID-19 cases during the surges in the Delta and Omicron variants.
By Aileen P. Refuerzo and Dexter See
