Metro Manila cities roll out Russian-made Sputnik V jab

FILE PHOTO: Bottles of Russia’s “Sputnik-V” COVID-19 vaccine are seen before inoculation at a clinic in Tver, Russia, October 12, 2020. REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva

MANILA, Philippines — Four of five cities in Metro Manila, which received initial allocations of Sputnik V, on Tuesday started the rollout of the Russian-made jab.

The cities of Manila, Makati, Parañaque, and Taguig began administering first doses of the vaccine developed by Russia’s Gamaleya Institute to medical frontliners, senior citizens, and people with comorbidities, among others, in their respective vaccination sites.

Manila City Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna said they plan to use part of the initial supply of Spuntik V to frontliners at Sta. Ana Hospital.

“Pagkatapos po nun, kung wala na pong naga-avail in how many days time siguro in 2-3 days, ay ibibigay na po natin ‘yan sa susunod na category,” she said in a statement.

(After that, if no one avails in how many days, let’s say in 2-3 days, we will give the vaccine doses to the next category.)

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, a total of 196 medical front liners received the Russian jab in Manila City.

In Parañaque, Mayor Edwin Olivarez said they would use only 1, 500 doses of the vaccine on Tuesday in order to avoid overcrowding in the city’s vaccination hub at Ayala Mall in Manila Bay.

“Hindi po natin ito uubusin ngayon para hindi po siya magkaroon ng congestion,” he said in a Teleradyointerview.“May mga araw po ‘yan hanggang maubos po natin itong tatlong libong ito.”

(We will not use all of it today to avoid congestion. It would be scheduled until we utilize all of the 3,000 doses.)

The cities of Makati and Taguig, meanwhile, launched the administration of Sputnik V in Makati Coliseum and Lakeshore Vaccination Park, respectively.

On Monday, May 3, the national government gave Manila, Makati, Parañaque, Taguig, and Muntinlupa cities 3,000 doses each from the initial 15,000 doses of Sputnik  V that arrived in the Philippines on May 1.

Muntinlupa City’s information officer Tez Navarro told INQUIRER.net in a text message that the local government’s rollout of Sputnik V will be on Wednesday, May 5, at the Ospital ng Muntinlupa. She also said they plan to vaccinate senior citizens and those with underlying conditions using the Russian-made shot.

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