DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – The SM malls in Pangasinan, in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) and local government units (LGUs), continue to serve as venues for the government’s vaccination program to help curb the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and help sustain the country’s recovery and growth.
 
With its long-standing commitment in ensuring the health and safety of the public, SM provides convenient and accessible vaccination and booster sites  where the community can get COVID-19 vaccines safely.
 
Vaccination drive is available at SM City Rosales, depending with the LGU-Rosales’ schedule, and at SM City Urdaneta Central from Monday to Saturday.
 
Eugene Exiomo, 49-year-old engineer and a resident of Urdaneta City, who visited one of the biggest malls in the city to have his regular haircut, found out that there is an on-going vaccination beside the barber shop, and immediately availed himself of the booster shot.
 
“This is a relief for me dahil hindi ako makapunta sa center dahil busy sa work. Buti na lang meron dito sa mall. Nakumpleto ko na ang booster doses ko. Papupuntahin ko rin ang mga tao ko rito na hindi pa nakapagpa-booster at malapit lang ‘yong project namin dito,” he said
 
He added, “I hope that everyone gets vaccinated and makabalik na tayong lahat sa dati nating mga nakagawian at makabalik na sa trabaho ang iba nating kababayan.”
 
The vaccination in malls is part of a wider effort to bring vaccines to target individuals and ensure that vaccines reach everyone.
 
DOH Ilocos regional director Paula Paz Sydiongco stated that apart from mall vaccinations and information drive on COVID-19, LGUs are doing house-to-house visits and also giving away incentives such as free groceries and packs of rice for senior citizens who avail of the booster doses.
 
She said, “We have to complete our booster shots so that we can be fully protected from the virus. Kung protektado tayo, protektado rin ang ating pamilya.”
 
“Vaccines are essential tool in our fight against the COVID-19 virus. They are highly effective and proven to save lives. Kaya sa mga hindi pa nakakakumpleto ng bakuna, ngayon na ang tamang panahon upang magpabakuna,” Sydiongco encouraged.
 
She added, “Solidarity is important during this time of pandemic. Hindi natin ito pwedeng ipagwalang bahala. We must ensure that we are vaccinated and others are vaccinated as well. Because our own protection relies on other people’s protection.”
 
As of October 15, the DOH-Ilocos Center for Health Development (DOH-CHD-1) has recorded 1.3 million individuals who have received the Covid-19 booster shots.
 
The data is 34% of the target population in the region.
 
There are now 3.8 million fully vaccinated individuals in the region or 89% coverage of the total target population, while some 450,547 senior citizens are fully vaccinated. (JCR/AMB/PIA Pangasinan)