QC rolls out COVID-19 vaccination drive in barangays

Mayor Joy Belmonte with health workers in a visit to a vaccination site in Bgy. Tatalon QC

MANILA, Philippines — In a bid to bring its COVID-19 vaccination drive closer to the people, the Quezon City government will roll-out its “QC Protektodo” program at the purok and street levels on Saturday, February 26.

The QC Task Force Vax to Normal will temporarily close down all regular vaccination sites to conduct the area-based inoculation, where at least 100 pop-up vaccination sites will be set up in the different barangays of the city.

A total of 130 teams composed of doctors, nurses, other allied healthcare workers, and barangay workers and volunteers will go down to the puroks and inoculate those who have yet to receive their first, second, or booster doses.

According to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, this strategy will help the city government sift through local communities and identify the unvaccinated and semi-vaccinated individuals.

“Our target is to vaccinate 100% of the adult and pediatric population and through this area-based approach, we can provide easy access for our citizens in the grassroots,” Belmonte said.

To ensure the success of the rollout, the help of barangay officials, purok leaders and community organizations will be tapped to encourage targeted individuals to get their doses.

Vaccine brands that are less sensitive to temperature, such as Sinovac, AstraZeneca, and Janssen will be used.

Meanwhile, children who wish to get vaccinated will be scheduled for vaccination in pedia vaccination sites or referred to the city’s 66 health centers that will remain open to accommodate interested vaccinees.

Likewise, bedridden seniors or persons with comorbidities will be inoculated at home by members of the medical team assigned to the area, or will be referred to health centers for a home vaccination schedule.

“We are encouraging everyone to get inoculated when the pop-up vaccination sites are set up in their respective streets or purok,” as well as in multipurpose halls, community parks and plazas nearest their place of residence,” QC Task Force Vax to Normal Action Officer Dr. Maria Lourdes Eleria said.

Moving forward, the city government is also coordinating with bus companies and the management of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) for possible vaccination sites to be located in transport hubs and terminals.

/MUF