Barangay Alion chair Al Balan urges his constituents to get vaccinated. Photo by Ernie Esconde
MARIVELES, Bataan — The 24th vaccination center in this province opened in an upland village here Friday aimed at giving faster and more comfortable inoculation services against the coronavirus disease to people right near their residences and to attain herd immunity in the province at the earliest possible time.
2nd District Rep. Jose Enrique Garcia III said it is the sixth vaccination site in the industrial town, home of the Freeport Area of Bataan where before the pandemic, more than 90 locators with more than 40,000 workers operated.
Mariveles is considered as the epicenter of the Covid–19 and its Delta variant in the province.
Latest report from the provincial health office showed there are 15,721 confirmed cases with 34 Delta variant and 2,519 active cases, majority of the active infections from Mariveles.
Gov. Albert Garcia said there is delayed reporting on the Delta variant, the capability of the genome center limited, being the only one tasked to do so nationwide. He said that more often the reports came in with the patients already recovered.
“Be it as it may,” the governor said, ”there is indeed Delta variant around and we have to assume its presence and strictly follow safety protocols inside and outside our houses, the variant being more dangerous.”
Congressman Garcia said Bataan was placed under ECQ from August 8 – 22, 2021 to curb the rise in Covid-19 cases, the surge noted in the past weeks.
Public and private hospitals, he said, were almost filled and it would be to the public’s advantage to make use of the two-week ECQ to be more strict in the implementation of safety and health protocols.
“Matindi talaga ang Delta variant at hindi masabi kung saan, ilang segundo lang, ilang minuto lang maaari na tayong mahawa kaya kung hindi kinakailangan lumabas ay huwag na muna,” the congressman said.
He said that President Duterte has approved the release of P700 million for Bataan as cash aid while barangay, municipal, and provincial governments are doing their share in extending relief assistance to residents.
Alion barangay chairman Al Balan thanked Governor Garcia, Congressman Garcia and various stakeholders like GN Power, Jetty Oil, Bataan Medical Society, Philippine Red Cross, Department of Health, among some others, for the opening of the vaccination center.
“Tuwang-tuwa ako dahil hindi ko inaakala na magkakaroon dito sa amin ng vaccination site na malaking tulong hindi lamang sa aming barangay kundi sa mga kalapit na barangay,” the village head said.
Balan said they will start with 500 vaccines that will be increased as needed.
“Magpabakuna na kayo at huwag kalimutan ang mga safety protocol para hindi tayo tamaan ng Covid–19 lalo na ng Delta variant,” the punong barangay urged his constituents.
