Ilocos Norte’s Provincial Health Office (PHO) is eyeing to vaccinate about 100,000 residents during the three-day national vaccination from November 29 to December 1.

Provincial health officer, Dr. Josephine Ruedas, reported this on Friday as she defended the more than PHP12 million increase in the PHO budget for next year due to logistical support in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Ruedas said the current vaccination rate of Ilocos Norte is considered “low” at 53 percent of the targeted 70 percent of the population, hence the need for a more aggressive campaign to speed up the vaccination rollout among local government units.

“Our vaccination rate is still a long way to go so we hope to vaccinate around 100,000 individuals during the three-day synchronized vaccination event, which will coincide with November 30 as Bonifacio Day, one of the country’s heroes,” she said.

Ruedas said the recently delivered 30,800 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine purchased by the provincial government would be used as the first dose for those who are still unvaccinated.

Meanwhile, the vaccination of the pediatric sector – regardless of the medical condition – is pending in some parts of Ilocos Norte while the administration of booster shots among health care workers is ongoing. (PNA)