Metro Manila mayors urged: Allow home vaccinations for PWDs, seniors

(FILE) Elder residents receive the jab of Astrazeneca vaccine at Barangay 672 Zone 73 in Paco, Manila on March 28, 2021, during the start of vaccination for seniors citizens of the local government. RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines — A partylist lawmaker is urging the mayors of Metro Manila to allow home COVID-19 vaccinations for senior citizens aged 70 and above and for persons with disabilities (PWDs) within their respective localities.

In a letter addressed to Metro Manila Council (MMC) Chairperson and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez dated April 27, Senior Citizens Partylist Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes said senior citizens at least 70 years of age and PWDs are the most vulnerable to the transmission of COVID-19, citing the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Considering these troubling courses of events, the inherent vulnerabilities of senior citizens and PWDs, and the high population density of Metro Manila, this representative humbly suggests that we cannot further risk the lives and welfare of our senior citizens and PWDs by pushing them to go out of the safety of their homes for them to be able to get their vaccinations,” Ordanes said.

“Thus, I propose that rather than requiring them to go to vaccination centers to get vaccinated, local government units should instead develop and implement an action plan where they can be vaccinated in the safety of their homes via a door-to-door vaccination campaign,” the lawmaker added.

Ordanes said that home-to-home vaccination will not only ensure high rates of vaccinations among senior citizens and PWDs, it will also make it convenient for them.

“I fervently hope for your urgent and favorable consideration of my proposals as we combat the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ordanes said.

In a separate statement, Ordanes acknowledged that current conditions are not conducive for proper large-scale implementation of the house-to-house vaccination.

“The house-to-house vaccination for PWDs and seniors at least 70 years old  I have asked the Metro Manila mayors to do does not necessarily have to happen now on a large scale,” Ordanes said.

“For now, the house-to-house tactics can be done on a targeted basis by concentrating efforts of specific areas where the spread has been high or quite difficult,” he added.

/MUF