During the weekly Balitaan Forum hosted by the Capampangan in Media held last October 15 at Clark Freeport Zone, Garbo disclosed that the city is only 27,000 residents away from its target vaccinated population.
The mayor divulged that a total of 276,906 Mabalaqueños have already been vaccinated — 164,362 for 1st dose, and 112,644 for 2nd dose, as of Oct. 14.
“Ninety percent of our constituents have already received the 1st dose, while 60 percent of that 90 percent are already fully vaccinated,” Garbo told the mediamen.
Once vaccination in this city is complete, Garbo said he will be supporting the neighboring municipalities of Bamban in Tarlac, Porac, Magalang and even Angeles City, with the necessary manpower and assistance.
The logic behind this, Garbo said, is that even if Mabalacat has already achieved herd immunity, vaccinated residents are still vulnerable because people still come in and out of the city’s neighboring areas.
Asked if who would benefit from the extension of vaccination he is offering in other towns, Garbo said the inoculation is for everybody — no more categories.
“That is the thrust of the national government. Vaccinate everybody,” he said.
The mayor expressed confidence about achieving herd immunity by Nov. 15, as the city is able to vaccinate 6,000 residents a day.
“Dinala na natin sa barangay ang vaccination,” the mayor said.
Garbo noted that since he fast-tracked the vaccination process, the city only has 112 active cases at the time of this writing, compared to the 799 cases in August when there was a sudden surge.
In a related note, the mayor also said that LGUs have already been directed by the Department of Health to prepare the vaccination of teenagers ages 12 to 17.
“Uunahin natin ang teenagers with comorbidities. They need to have a medical certificate from their pediatricians,” Garbo said.
He also said the city government has already acquired data or records of schoolers from the division school superintendent of the Department of Education, to identify those with comorbidities.
However, he made it a point that not all youth at that age are in school. Garbo said he tapped the Sangguniang Kabataan, led by the federation president, to go around the barangays for the names of youth ages 12-17 who are not attending schoool, and determine those with comorbidities.
Mayor Garbo also said National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 Chief Implementer and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. has committed to provide the city government 20,000 vaccine doses, apart from the 15,000 doses the city has in storage, which arrived on Tuesday.
“We can only strenghten herd immunity if we help our neighboring towns and communities,” the mayor said.
