The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte(PGIN) has so far vaccinated more than 25,000 residents against COVID-19, according to the data of the Provincial Health Office dated May 28.
Of the 25,156 residents who already received their first or second dose, 13,970, or equal to 90.08% belong to the eligible Category A1 population. The National Immunization Technical Advisory Group, a group of health experts advising the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), specified priority recipients under A1 as follows: frontline workers in health facilities both national and local, private and public, health professionals, and non-professionals like students, nursing aides, janitors, Barangay Health Workers, etc.
Moreover, 11,186 belonging to Category A2 or senior citizens aged 60 years old and above have been inoculated.
On the other hand, those under Category A3 are persons with comorbidities not otherwise included in the preceding categories, and A4 includes frontline personnel in essential sectors, including uniformed personnel and those in working sectors identified by the IATF as essential during the Enhanced Community Quarantine. In Ilocos Norte, some residents under Category A3 were already vaccinated. The tally is still being consolidated as of this writing.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Government, through the Office of Barangay Affairs (OBA), has coordinated with the local chief executives and barangay council presidents in consolidating the list of residents who are willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Priority sectors include government officials and employees at the city, municipality, and barangay levels; OFWs who need the vaccination to work abroad; ambulant or house-to-house workers with direct exposure to clients; drivers and conductors of air-conditioned Public Utility Vehicles; market vendors, including ambulant vendors and food peddler; beauty and wellness workers with direct exposure to clients; tourism sector personnel with direct exposure to tourists; and media personnel with direct exposure to others.
PGIN had delegated Provincial Offices, specifically OBA, the Metro Ilocos Norte Council, Micro Small, and Medium Enterprises Office, Ilocos Norte Tourism office, and Communications and Media Office to assist in the preparations for a wider vaccination rollout.
At present, PGIN is ensuring the establishment of more vaccination sites as the province is expected to receive more anti-COVID vaccine supply.(Edison Justin B. Deus, PGIN-CMO)
