Manila begins vaccination of disaster response personnel, social workers, jail officers

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno. Image from his Facebook account

MANILA, Philippines – The city of Manila started its inoculation of disaster risk reduction personnel, social workers, and jail officers against the coronavirus disease, Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced Monday.

Domagoso said workers from these sectors are part of the “Priority Group A1” as identified by the government’s National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center.

“I’m happy for them. Malapit na rin kami siguro sa kategorya na mababakunahan, medyo sa may dulo pa kasi kami eh tapos senior citizen,” Domagoso said in a statement.

(Our turn will come in terms of the category in the vaccination program, we are a bit in the far end, there are still senior citizens.)

According to the Manila Health Department, about 2,000 frontliners are expected to receive their first jab of AstraZeneca vaccine at the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, while some 150 frontliners will receive Sinovac vaccine at Sta. Ana Hospital.

Among those who will receive their COVID-19 vaccine are personnel from the Manila Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO), social workers, members of Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs), and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

As of March 21, at least 5,406 medical frontliners in the NCR have already received their COVID-19 vaccine since the start of the city’s mass vaccination drive.  Liezelle Soriano Roy, INQUIRER.net trainee

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