Herd immunity in Marikina possible in 21 days with enough vaccine supply — mayor

Health workers and frontliners receive their 2nd dose of the Sinovac vaccine against COVID-19 held at Marikina Elementary School covered court, Marikina City on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. Niño Jesus Orbeta/Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — With enough COVID-19 vaccine supply, Marikina City may be able to reach herd immunity in only 21 days, Mayor Marcelino Teodoro said on Friday.

Teodoro said the local government unit has the required facility and personnel for vaccination but they need sufficient supply of vaccines in order to inoculate enough portion of the city’s population.

“Meron kaming facility. Meron na kaming mga doctor. May manning kami, but we need the supply of vaccines. Kung 10,000 [vaccinations] a day kami, siguro mga 21 days lang may herd immunity na kami,” Teodoro told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.

(We have the facility. We have doctors. We have the staff, but we need the supply of vaccines. If we could reach 10,000 vaccinations per day, we could achieve herd immunity in 21 days.)

The Marikina City Mega Vaccination Facility, which could inoculate 10,000 people daily, opened at the Marikina Sports Complex in February.

“‘Yung buong sports complex is dedicated as a vaccination facility. Ito nga ‘yung pinapaliwanag ko sa National Vaccination Operation Center. It’s a 3.5 hectare area that we could vaccinate 7,000 to 10,000 individuals a day,” the mayor said.

(The entire sports complex is dedicated as a vaccination facility. This is what I am explaining to the National Vaccination Operation Center. It’s a 3.5 hectare area where we could vaccinate 7,000 to 10,000 individuals a day.)

Teodoro said that the mega vaccination site is under-utilized.

The mayor also noted that administering COVID-19 vaccines to 10,000 people daily would result in 210,000 vaccinations in 21 days. The LGU aims to vaccinate 290,000 citizens, or 70 percent of the city population, to reach herd immunity. He said they have so far vaccinated 95,000 individuals.

The city recently expanded its vaccination program to cover working citizens or those under the A4 category but halted operations due to the dwindling supply.

“Pareho lang naman kami [with other cities], similarly situated. Nauubusan din at di lang tayo nagpapabaya sa pag-fa-follow up. Talagang kulang na kulang ‘yung supply,” the mayor noted.

(We’re the same with other cities; we are similarly situated. We also run out of supplies but we don’t neglect follow-ups. We really lack supply.)

Teodoro added that when the city reaches herd immunity, the Marikina Sports Complex might then be used for other activities, while a separate building might be utilized for remaining residents who have yet to be inoculated.

“The earlier that we could vaccinate the target herd immunity, makabalik na kami sa normal (the earlier we can go back to normal),” the mayor said. Faith Yuen Wei Ragasa, Inquirer trainee

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