Team of vaccinators goes to remote villages as a way to ensure residents get the jabs

In Mapanas, Northern Samar

TACLOBAN CITY- Residents in interior villages in Mapanas town, Northern Samar need not go to their rural health unit to receive the vaccine against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
A team of health personnel and other offices of the municipal government like its disaster risk reduction management office, goes to their remote villages to conduct the vaccination.
This way, these residents are ensured of the vaccines that will give them a shield against the infection, Joe Louis Gajutos, municipal disaster risk reduction management officer, said.
The municipal government, in particular, is targeting six of its most remote barangays, namely, San Jose, Jubusan, Siljagon, Naparasan, Quezon, and Magsaysay which have a combined population of more than 4,700 people.
Gajutos said that they have so far visited the villages of Jubasan, Naparasan, and Quezon, vaccinating more than 160 residents, many of them were seniors.
The three villages have a combined number of residents of over 2,200.
Gajutos admitted that during their visit to these villages, several residents have declined to be vaccinated.
“They are hesitant to receive the vaccine for some reasons, especially the seniors,” Gajutos, whose office is part of the team which visits the remote villages, said.
For one, those who are hesitant to receive the vaccines are afraid of possible adverse effects, he said.
But despite of this hesitancy, they are doing their all to encourage them and receive the vaccines, Gajutos added.
Since the municipality started their rollout last March of this year, over 570 individuals have received their doses of which 176 have been administered with the second dose.
Mapanas has more than 14,000 residents spread on its 13 barangays.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)