Manila vaccination drive
MANILA, Philippines — The City of Manila’s aggressive campaign to vaccinate and provide booster shots to as many people as possible amid the surge in Covid-19 cases bore positive results as more than 23,000 individuals were given jabs on Monday, January 17, the highest figure registered since July of last year.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso announced this during a special report broadcast through his official Facebook page. Official data released by the Manila Health Department revealed that a total of 23,676 persons were vaccinated on Jan. 17 with either their first dose, second dose and booster shot.
“Mga kababayan good news. I think since November, eto na ‘yung pinakamataas natin kasi dati umabot tayo 40,000, 50,000 before. After that nung mga November nung ma-reach na natin ‘yung 100 plus percent, mga 7,000, mga 3,000 ganyan. Ngayon, eto ang pinakamalaki ngayong araw na ito… 23,676 ang na-deploy na bakuna sa ating lungsod,” Moreno said.
READ: Amid open vaccination policy, Isko Moreno assures enough vaccine supply in Manila
According to Dr. Arnold Pangan, Manila Health Department director, the Jan. 17 figure is the highest vaccination registered in the city since a total of 44,584 people got the jab on July 31, 2021. Two days before on Jan. 15, around 22,346 people were vaccinated while on Jan. 14, some 20,787 people were given jabs.
The record high vaccination last Monday was partly due to the opening of more drive-thru inoculation sites that include the Kartilya ng Katipunan for motorcycle drivers and couriers; the Quirino Grandstand drive-thru for 4-wheel vehicles and the Bagong Ospital ng Maynila drive-thru for drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) including deliver vans.
Moreno gave a breakdown of the inoculation for minors aged 12-17 years: “Umabot ng 1,053 para sa ating first dose sa minors at 546 naman para sa second dose sa minors. Total of 241,844 doses ang na- deploy para sa ating mga menor de edad kaya ang total niyan 130,452 sa first dose at 111,392 sa second dose na nabakunahan sa Lungsod ng Maynila sa menor de edad.”
On Wednesday, Moreno opened the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden as the latest vaccination site for minors and senior citizens which will be open from 8 am to 8 pm daily.
“Minors 12 to 17-years-old first dose, minors 12 to 17-years-old second dose, and elderly whether they are guardians, parents, or ‘yung mga lolo’t, lola ko na gustong magpa booster. Now as we speak, live na po ang ating registration. Punta na kayo sa www.manilazoo.ph and get your free ticket for 1,000 individuals. So that includes bata one head ‘yun, one pack, kumbaga ang bilang ng bata at bilang ng matanda pareho lang. Basta 1,000 heads per day,” Moreno said.
Although entrance is free, Moreno asked those who will visit Manila Zoo and avail of their vaccination to bring their own food and water. He also asked visitors to discipline themselves and throw their trash on garbage bins place strategically inside the zoo.
READ: Get vaccinated, have look around at Manila Zoo
Moreno said a total of 11,263 individuals received their booster shots last Jan. 17, thus giving them additional protection from Covid-19.
“Kaya ang total po natin is 1,662,045 sa first dose and 1,527,311 (fully vaccinated). Nasa 156 percent na po tayo ng original target na 70 percent ng Department of Health. Umabot naman sa 143 percent ang second dose. More on double na tayo halos dun sa target. Nasa 3.1 million mahigit na po ang vaccine deployed sa City of Manila,” Moreno explained.
“(Nasa) 273,341 individuals ang nabakunahan na sa booster shots in less than one month. Masaya na po kaming makapaglingkod sa inyo,” he added.
An update provided by Moreno based on data coming from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (MDRRMO) revealed that as of 11 a.m. Tuesday (Jan. 18), a total of 12,203 individuals were able to received their booster shots at the Luneta 24-hour drive-thru facility for 4-wheel vehicles which started operating on Jan. 13.
As of Jan. 18, a total of 13,032 individuals also got their booster shots via the drive-thru booster shot facility for motorcycle and bicycle riders at the Kartilya ng Katipunan since the caravan started last Jan. 6.
Moreno said a total of 668 individuals received booster shots through a similar facility set-up for tricycle, pedicab, kuliglig, jeepney and taxi drivers at the Bagong Ospital ng Maynila which was launched on Monday.
In view of the success of Manila’s intensive vaccination campaign, the 47-year-old Aksyon Demokratiko standard-bearer again reiterated that he has temporarily set aside his “Listening Tour” amid the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Metro Manila.
Instead of thinking about politics and the elections, the 47-year-old presidential aspirant said he would rather focus on the pandemic especially in combatting the current surge brought about by the highly-contagious Omicron variant.
Moreno said keeping as many people safe from infections is his primary concern at the moment. “Kinalimutan ko na ‘yan (presidential campaign), in all honesty. There is no point kung ‘yung mamamayan mo naman naghihikahos. Basta, sa kanila na ‘yung halalan,” he said.