Delivery truckers, riders to get special schedule for booster shots in Manila

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso inspects the preparations being done by the city government ahead of the booster shot vaccination for delivery riders set on Thursday, January 6. The booster vaccination at Kartilya ng Katipunan for Grab, Angkas, Lalamove, Shopee, Mr. Speedy, Food Panda, and Lazada delivery riders will be open from 8am to 5pm. #ManilaMassVaccination (Contributed photo)

MANILA, Philippines — Truckers and workers in markets along with delivery riders would be given a special schedule for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots in Manila, Mayor Isko Moreno announced on Wednesday.

Moreno said that a special nighttime vaccination program for truckers and travelers who bring food and produce to Manila, particularly those who stop by the Divisoria Market, will start on Wednesday night, at 8 p.m., on the corner of Juan Luna Street and Recto Avenue.

“Ako po ay nananawagan, ngayong gabi, magkakaroon po tayo ng special vaccination para sa ating mga nagdadala ng pagkain sa Metro Manila na ibinabagsak sa Divisoria pagka-gabi,” Moreno said in his press conference.

(I am calling on them, because tonight we will have a special vaccination for those who deliver food in Metro Manila, those who deliver [food supplies] to Divisoria during the night.)

“Sa lahat ng nanonood sa Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, at Metro Manila na dumadako sa Maynila para ideliver ‘yong mga gulay, karne, itlog, isda, at iba pang produktong pagkain na ibinabagsak sa Divisoria gabi-gabi.  Kung dati-rati kayo ay binakunahan namin […] ngayon po ay iaalay namin ang oras, resources ng ating lungsod na bakunahan kayo for booster ngayong gabi sa Divisoria, sa kanto ng Juan Luna at Recto,” he added.

(Those who are watching from Northern Luzon, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon and Metro Manila who are scheduled to pass by Manila to deliver vegetable, meat, egg, fish and other food products that they send to Divisoria every night. If before we vaccinated most of you, now we can provide time and resources of the city to provide you the booster shot tonight in Divisoria, at the corner of Juan Luna and Recto.)

Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso. Contributed photo

But aside from that, a special vaccination lane for delivery riders would also be opened by Thursday morning, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., along the Kartilya ng Katipunan shrine at Lawton.

“Nais kong ipaalam, bukas, alas otso ng umaga hanggang alas singko ng hapon, nananawagan ako sa lahat ng delivery workers sa Maynila at sa buong Metro Manila.  Alam natin na hindi pwedeng matigil ang hanap buhay ng mga kababayan natin na nagtatrabaho, nagdedeliver ng mga bagay-bagay,” Moreno said.

(I would like to announce that tomorrow [Thursday], at 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., I am calling on all delivery workers in Manila and all areas in Metro Manila. We all know that we cannot stop the livelihood of our fellow countrymen who are working, delivering various stuff.)

“So you have the whole day to avail extra protection sa booster shots.  Ito po ay gaganapin sa Kartilya ng Katipunan sa Lawton [ This will be done in the Kartilya ng Katipunan in Lawton],” he added.

The local chief executive urged the people from these industries to avail of the chance for booster shots, so that people can be protected especially with the sudden increase in COVID-19 cases.

“Grab the opportunity to get a booster in Manila.  Kasi para naman sa kaalaman ng ating mga kababayan sa lungsod, ito po ay araw-araw silang pumupunta, bumabyahe […] babakunahan din kayo mamayang gabi, magsisimula ng alas otso ng gabi [For the benefit of our countrymen, they are working and going to Manila everyday, you can get vaccine booster shot tonight at 8 p.m.],” he explained.

Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagogo. Contributed photo

“Minabuti namin na magbakuna sa lugar na kung saan kayo naghahanap buhay para hindi na maabala o masayang ang araw ninyo,” he said.

(We decided to vaccinate our workers on the place where they work so there would be no disruption in your line of work.)

Manila and the rest of the National Capital Region are currently under Alert Level 3 after a sharp uptick in COVID-19 infections was observed, which experts believe may be due to the more transmissible Omicron variant.

As of Wednesday, the country’s active COVID-19 infections swelled to 39,974, after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 10,775 new infections — almost double of Tuesday’s new cases which were at 5,434.

READ: PH posts 5,434 new COVID-19 cases; 611 recoveries

The increase in infections came after a relatively low number of daily cases before the holidays — ranging from 300 to 500 with the active case count down to below 10,000.

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