A centenarian from Davao Oriental became the province’s oldest recipient of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine after receiving her first dose, the provincial government said on Friday.
Encarnacion Toyongan Pagantian, 103, a resident of Sitio Poblacion, Barangay Palma Gil in the municipality of Caraga got her first dose of Sinovac Coronavirus vaccine (CoronaVac) on Wednesday at the municipal gym in their barangay.
Encarnacion was accompanied by her daughter and underwent the standard vaccination procedure.
“I am afraid at first, but it was eventually gone after the process. I want to protect myself as well as my family from Covid-19,” she said in vernacular.
Dr. Chris Anthony Limen, Caraga Municipal Health Officer, who screened Encarnacion, said his team admired the patient’s enthusiasm to be vaccinated even though this was the first time she got vaccinated.
Limen also encouraged senior citizens to get vaccinated while there is still an opportunity to get free vaccination.
He said the centenarian is living proof that people must not be afraid of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“The only way to end this pandemic is for us to achieve herd immunity,” Limen pointed out.
Based on the data from the Provincial Health Office, around 425,494 individuals or 70 percent of the total province’s population of 607,851 must be vaccinated to achieve population protection.
As of July 5, a total of 35,537 individuals in Davao Oriental or 8.35 percent of the total target have been vaccinated, leaving 389,957 individuals or 91.65 percent unvaccinated.
The vaccination rollout for A1 (medical front-liners), A2 (senior citizens), and A3 (persons with comorbidities) priority groups is still ongoing in partnership with local government units in the province.
Source: Philippines News Agency
