DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 17 March) – The city government urged local businesses to enforce a mandatory vaccination for workers as part of their strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19 infection in workplaces.
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson for COVID-19 Task Force of Davao City, told Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) that although the local government has not imposed mandatory vaccination to give locals their “freedom of choice,” the private business establishments are encouraged to adopt this measure “as their way of COVID-19 management to protect their clients and employees.”
“Here in Davao City, we do not adhere to that because there is a factor of discrimination. This is not mandatory but we encourage our establishments to do this in accordance with what’s good for employees and clients,” she said.
She said that personnel from the COVID-19 Task Force of Davao City will visit private establishments to administer booster doses to workers to increase the number of essential workers protected against the infection, a health official said.
Schlosser added the mobile vaccination for the booster doses will include school teachers in preparation for the resumption of face-to-face classes.
This after the city reported low turnout for fully vaccinated individuals receiving the booster shots, she said.
“Just this week, a meeting was conducted by COVID-19 Task Force with the heads and owners of establishments here, so that we will bring the booster doses at their doorsteps,” she said.
As of March 14, the Department of Health-Davao Region reported 2,961,369 individuals who were fully vaccinated out of the target of 4,361,158. Of the total fully vaccinated individuals, only 377,481 or 8.7% had received booster doses.
Malacañang announced the city will remain under alert level 1 until March 31, and the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, and Davao Occidental under level 2. As of March 13, DOH-Davao reported six new infections in Davao City, bringing the total cases to 70,166 with 106 active, 70,101 recoveries, and 1,959 deaths. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)
