Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said Wednesday the city was able to fulfill its original plan of doing the inoculation in 18 sites in the six districts of Manila for the first time since the local government of Manila rolled out its mass vaccination program last month using doses coming from the national government.
Domagoso said the number of sites was used during the continuation on Wednesday of the vaccination of persons belonging to the A3 category or those aged 18 to 59 who have comorbidities in an effort to decongest the long queues.
Domagoso said Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, herself a doctor and who heads the city’s health cluster, and Manila Health Department chief Arnold Pangan were in charge of the rollout, ensuring that it was orderly, fast, safe, efficient and smooth.
In his live broadcast, Domagoso announced that while continuing to embrace all those from the A3 category, the city also plans to vaccinate those who are involved in the distribution of all sorts of assistance from the local government under the A4 category.
He said those delivering the food boxes and cash aid, for one, face a ratio of 1 is to 500 or even 1,000 in their daily dealings with the residents, thus raising the possibility of getting more exposed and being infected with the virus.
Under the original plan that he and Vice Mayor Lacuna-Pangan discussed as early as January, Domagoso said that the city government actually targets to vaccinate a maximum of 18,000 people a day or a total of 540,000 per month.
In doing so, Domagoso expressed hope that the city will be able to achieve herd immunity.
Once again, the mayor thanked authorities from the national government as well as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the vaccines received by Manila.
He said that as of 6:38 p.m. of April 6, a total of 43,885 have already been vaccinated in the city of Manila with 343 already able to get their second dose.
Once again, Domagoso urged the residents to register at www.manilacovid19vaccine.com.ph for a slot in the vaccination program, stressing the need to get the jab for added protection against the coronavirus.
So far, 236,270 have already pre-registered for the free, mass vaccination program of Manila and the mayor said they will be inoculated once those in the priority list have been finished.
Domagoso also called on the residents to continue practicing the health protocols like wearing face masks and face shields, frequent hand washing and social distancing.
