CALOOCAN CITY, April 5 (PIA) -- Manila City Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso on Sunday received his first dose of Sinovac’s CoronaVac vaccine at the President Sergio Osmeña High School in Tondo.
Mayor Isko is the first local chief executive to receive the COVID-19 jab who followed the vaccine rollout prioritization protocol.
The vaccine was administered by Vice Mayor Ma. Sheilah "Honey" Lacuna-Pangan, who is also a doctor of medicine.
So far, about 41,692 individuals have been vaccinated by the Manila City Government through its City Health Department.
Domagoso said he immediately had himself inoculated after President Rodrigo Duterte and the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) allowed Mayors of high-risk areas to get vaccinated.
Lacuna, on the other hand, was the first elected official of the city to receive the vaccine, having been placed under the A1 priority group of medical frontline workers.
“I made a commitment to the people of Manila that I would get the Sinovac vaccine. A lot of Filipinos have doubts about Sinovac, so as a matter of commitment, I got vaccinated with it,” Domagoso said.
“May nagsasabi noon na, 'Pabakuna ka nang pabakuna sa amin, pero ikaw hindi pa nagpapabakuna.' I had to wait because the rules had to be followed. Heto ngayon nabakunahan na ako,” the Mayor added.
The mayor likewise said “any vaccine is welcome in the country. Whether it is Sinovac or any other brand, as long as it is approved by our regulatory bodies, we will use it.“
“If it is available then we will offer it to every Manileño and everyone else who wants to get vaccinated,” Domagoso told reporters in a press briefing.
He believes it was also “high time to get mayors vaccinated” as they have also been serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing Mayors who were infected with the COVID-19. Among the metro chief executives who got infected with COVID-19 include San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora and Malabon City Mayor Len Oreta.
“Sa awa ng Diyos ay gumaling sila,” he said.
Domagoso said the city’s vaccine operations will continue as long as there is available supply. The local government was still carrying out vaccination activities amid the Holy Week.
“Due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), we had to innovate to adapt to the situation. We have to continue to vaccinate. If the infection is fast, then the vaccination must be faster," Domagoso said.
“I continue to be hopeful everyday that people would want to be vaccinated. We will vaccinate them as long as we have vaccines available. The most efficient vaccine is the one in your arm. So, if you are already qualified, please go to our vaccination sites.” he said. (PIA NCR)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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