The Department of Health (DOH) encourages senior citizens in Central Luzon to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

DOH Health Education and Promotion Officer Theresa Marie Bondoc underscored the importance of vaccination among the elderly as they are considered a vulnerable population.

The bulk of COVID-19 mortalities are senior citizens due to many health factors.

“As we age, our immune system gets compromised that is why our senior citizens are second in the top priority or A2 for vaccination to prioritize their health and well-being,” Bondoc said during the regional webinar on Overcoming Mental Health Distress Among Senior Citizens which served as the regional kick-off of the 2021 Elderly Filipino Week celebration.

Based on records, the A2 category has the lowest jab rate because of vaccine hesitancy in the population.

“Most senior citizens hold back from getting the jab for a reason that the COVID-19 vaccine is newly formulated but we have to note that this is a pandemic, which means all countries contributed their resources to come up with this solution,” she said.

Bondoc assured that these vaccines were proven effective and have undergone different processes before they were made available for everyone’s use.

As of October 3, a total of 639,610 senior citizens which is equivalent to 55.95 percent of the total senior citizen population in the region have received at least their first dose of vaccine while 503,611 are still considered unvaccinated.

The webinar was organized by Philippine Information Agency in partnership with DOH and Regional Coordinating and Monitoring Board for Senior Citizens. (PIA 3)