San Juan launches vaccination program

The ongoing vaccination program is seen as a big step towards the country’s economic recovery.
Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines—The government of San Juan on Saturday launched its vaccination program at the Filoil Flying V Center starting with the inoculation of its medical workers from the San Juan Medical Center (SJMC) and the City Health Office.

Ret. Gen. Dr. Joseph Acosta, SJCM’s medical director, was the first medical worker from San Juan to get inoculated with the CoronaVac from SinoVac Biotec.

“I got the shot for the hospital, my patients and my family. Getting vaccinated protects not just myself but the people around me and I believe it is my responsibility to show our medical frontliners and the San Juaneños, as Medical Director of our only public hospital in the city, that our vaccines are safe and definitely effective,” said Acosta.

Mayor Francis Zamora, who’s under quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19, expressed his admiration for the city in their combat against the spread of the virus.

“Although I would have loved to be there to witness this historic occasion, I was still very elated to witness on social media what I have long waited for. The rollout of the vaccination program against COVID-19 in San Juan City, where the first local transmission of the virus was reported, shows that the country is now actively fighting the pandemic,” said Zamora.

In place of Zamora was Vice Mayor Warren Villa.

San Juan City received 300 doses of CoronaVac from the national government with 138 medical frontliners from San Juan Medical Center volunteering to get vaccinated.

There are already 2,300 COVID vaccine doses under San Juan with 300 of those coming from SinoVac. Cardinal Santos Medical Center, meanwhile, received 1,800 in total—1,300 from SinoVac and 500 from AstraZeneca.

Residents who wish to get vaccinated may register at https://120.28.52.92:8002/vaccine_registration/public/ or visit their respective barangays.

CFC