BACOLOD CITY — The Provincial Health Office here has launched an intensified house-to-house vaccination of the elderlies in the remote areas of Negros Occidental against the coronavirus disease 2019.

Provincial health officer, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, stressed that the approach is being carried out as part of the Department of Health's "PinasLakas" nationwide campaign.

"Many of our targets are in the upland barangays. If we set up our PinasLakas vaccination center in a marketplace in the población, we cannot expect these senior citizens to come. We have to go to their place. House-to-house is still the most effective way for these senior citizens to be vaccinated," Tumimbang said.

Under the "PinasLakas" campaign, the target is to vaccinate 90 percent of senior citizens and administer booster shots to a least 50 percent of the adult population by 8 October.

Figures of the Department of Health-Western Visayas showed that 60.65 percent or 138,981 of the target 229,162 senior citizens in Negros Occidental have been fully vaccinated.

Also, 10.46 percent, or 23,969 individuals in the 60 and above age group have availed of booster shots.

Among those aged 18 to 59, fully vaccinated are 944,035 individuals or 82.54 percent of the 1.429 million target vaccinees.

Some 121,927 vaccinees, or 10.66 percent, have already received booster shots in the said age group.