City ready for COVID-19 vaccination roll out
BAGUIO CITY – (5 March 2021) – The city is ready with the projected roll out of the government’s vaccination program with the identification of some four mega vaccination sites and other satellite vaccination areas in the different parts of the Summer Capital.
City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo stated that the city government is almost 100 percent ready for the implementation of the vaccination but the delivery of the city’s allocation is being awaited for the smooth roll to help achieve the projected herd immunity among the populace.
She disclosed that the identified mega vaccination sites in the city are the University of Baguio (UB) gymnasium, St. Louis University (SLU) gymnasium, SLU Center and the Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) compound.
Further, the medical officer added that the existing private and public hospitals in the city will also serve as complimentary vaccination centers.
Galpo claimed the city identified the members of the more than 30 vaccination teams to be deployed at the different vaccination sites once the mass vaccination program will be rolled out.
However, Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong said that the Astra Zenica vaccines purchased by the local government might be available by the third quarter of this year although there will be other brands of the vaccine that will be arriving in the city by the second quarter for the frontliners.
Last week, the city government remitted to the pharmaceutical company the P18 million advance payment for the more than 380,000 vaccines it purchased for the more than 190,000 adult beneficiaries.
He stipulated that the Moderna vaccines arriving earlier in the city will for the health workers and other interested frontliners as part of the efforts of the government to immediately vaccinate this sector because of their exposure to COVID patients who will be undergoing treatment in the different health facilities.
The city chief executive revealed the city will be having more than enough vaccines for the residents once the allocation from the National Vaccine Committee is given, aside from the vaccine purchased by various private companies for their workers and that will donate the same number of vaccines to the city government.
The mayor commended officials and personnel of the City Health Services Office for their patience and sacrifice in the immediate organization of the various vaccination teams to ensure the city’s readiness in time for the arrival of the supply of vaccines to avoid unnecessary delays in the implementation of the mass vaccination program. – Dexter A. See
