A barangay here on Wednesday initiated “Operation Plan Knock” (Oplan Katok) that urges unvaccinated villagers to get themselves immunized against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Barangay Sudapin chairman John Karl Sibug said the initiative targets to reach out to unvaccinated constituents and encourage them to get vaccinated.

“We will knock on their doors to urge these people to get inoculated for the benefit of their own family and the community as a whole”, he said.

Sudapin has some 12,000 residents and only 80 percent have been vaccinated, prompting barangay officials to do something to get the remaining 20 percent vaccinated.

“Village health workers, midwives, together with the barangay peacekeepers, will lead the activity aiming to convince the target population to respond the government’s call to attain mass immunity,” Sibug said.

He said they hired a doctor to give free consolations to persons with comorbidities prior to the Oplan Katok activity.

A scheduled on-site vaccination is also set to be held at their barangay center to make it more accessible to local residents.

“This will also serve as an indicator on how effective this initiative is on our co-villagers,” Sibug said.

Backing the initiative, Mayor Joseph Evangelista issued Wednesday Memorandum 009-2022 addressing the city’s 40 village chairmen to survey and list all unvaccinated individuals in their respective areas.

Evangelista said the local government also aims to keep ensure unvaccinated individuals stay at home.

As of Wednesday, the city has 102,814 fully vaccinated residents or 93.07 percent of the city’s population.

Of the total number, 11,783 have received their booster shots, while, 13,077 were vaccinated under the pediatric priority group aged 12-17 years old. (PNA)