3,000 elderly in Cebu City inoculated with COVID-19 vaccine

CEBU CITY –– At least 3,000 senior citizens in this city have been vaccinated against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as another mall opened to accommodate recipients.

Dr. Jeffrey Ibones, chief of the Cebu City Health Department, said 793 seniors were inoculated on the first day.

An additional 1,100 were inoculated on the second day, while 1,144 were given the first dose of Sinovac on the third day.

Ibones said they are expecting more doses of the vaccine by next month.

There is no specific date yet though the supply will come from the national government.

As of April 22, at least 10,000 senior citizens out of the 19,000 who were asked in the online registration in the city, have signified intention to be vaccinated

The city has more than 80,000 senior citizens.

The public vaccination of senior citizens is now on its fourth day.

City government officials are confident that as more vaccination sites open, more senior citizens will agree to be vaccinated.

So far, the City has three vaccination sites: SM Seaside, Robinsons Galleria Mall, and the University of Cebu-Banilad Campus.

City Councilor Dave Tumulak said another SM mall would be opened as a vaccination site soon.

“Next week, probably in God’s will, we will open another vaccination site at SM City Cebu,” Tumulak added.

SM Prime Holdings Inc. Vice President Marissa Fernan said they have opened their malls as vaccination sites for free as a form of public service and provide a more convenient venue to those who would be vaccinated.

“We hope that what would be a very anxious situation for most people will become a little bit of a pleasant experience and then they will come out here feeling happy,” Fernan explained.

LZB