Close to 4,000 Olongapo residents now fully vaccinated against COVID-19

The SMX Convention Center of SM City Olongapo Central serves as venue for Olongapo City’s vaccine rollout for senior citizens. PHOTO FROM OLONGAPO PIO

OLONGAPO CITY — Over 13,000 residents here have been inoculated against COVID-19 but the vaccine rollout was temporarily put on hold pending the arrival of additional supply from the national government, an official said.

In his weekly update, Mayor Rolen Paulino Jr. said 9,444 residents belonging to the priority sectors have received their first dose of vaccine.

At least 3,799 of them have been given their second dose or were already fully vaccinated, Paulino said.

The city has been administering the COVID-19 vaccine from China’s Sinovac and AstraZeneca from the United Kingdom.

Paulino said the slow vaccine rollout is a “global issue” due to the limited supply.

He said the national government is prioritizing areas experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases for its vaccine supply, which was “understandable.”

But the mayor has appealed to residents to continue registering for the another round of vaccine rollout.

The city is targeting to inoculate 70 percent of its 280,000 population to achieve herd immunity. INQ