THE Philippines is expected to receiver over 10 million Covid-19 vaccine doses this month, July 2021, announced Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, spokesperson of the Visayas Vaccination Operation Center (VVOC).
In her VVOC daily briefing, Loreche said the 10,410,020 doses will include the following brands: AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.
The vaccines will include those donated by Japan, Covax, and those procured by the government, said Loreche.
She said while some of the vaccines have already been delivered to various parts of the country, there are still those that will be delivered before the end of July.
“This shows that in the succeeding months, more vaccines will be available for the Filipinos,” said Loreche.
Loreche said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine which will arrive soon will be used only for senior citizens and those belonging to the A5 priority subgroup (indigent population).
She said they will still wait for further instructions and guidelines on the distribution and utilization of the Johnson & Johnson shots.
With the upcoming arrival of millions of vaccine doses, Loreche called on everyone to help by signing up for the master list which is the first step to the vaccination process.
Metro Cebu
As of July 13, 2021, the total number of eligible vaccinees in Metro Cebu is 1,736,062. But only 1,180,404 are on the master list.
Metro Cebu covers the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Talisay and Naga, and the towns of Consolacion and Minglanilla.
In Cebu City, only 295,532 of 645,828 eligible vaccinees are in the master list.
In Mandaue City, only 288,396 are in the master list out of 295,725 eligible individuals.
In Lapu-Lapu City, 281,162 individuals enrolled in the master list out of 318,480 eligible vaccinees.
In Talisay City, only 69,343 of 179,506 eligible vaccinees are on the master list.
Only 84,064 of 103,228 eligible vaccinees are in the master list of Consolacion town, while 70,403 of 92,495 eligible vaccinees are on the master list of Minglanilla town.
In Naga, 91,504 of 100,800 eligible vaccinees are on the master list.
The VVOC reported that as of July 12, 2021, 480,307 vaccine doses against Covid-19 had been administered in Metro Cebu.
Of the number, 360,377 were given as first dose and 119,930 were administered as the second dose.
New sites
Meanwhile, the Cebu City Government announced the opening of more vaccination sites.
Councilor David Tumulak, who has been tasked by Mayor Edgardo Labella to monitor the City’s vaccination program, said a new vaccination site opened at the south entrance of Ayala Center Cebu near Uniqlo on July 12, 2021.
The site will be manned by doctors and nurses provided by Ayala Center Cebu, but they will be joined by personnel from the Cebu City Health Department to oversee operations.
Currently, the Cebu City Government’s vaccination sites are located at UC-Banilad, UC-Alcantara, Robinsons Galleria, SM Seaside City, and Noah complex.
Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementer of Cebu City’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) said another vaccination site will soon open at the eBloc in Cebu IT Park, Lahug.
City Hall’s move to open more vaccination sites inside malls is in preparation for the arrival of more vaccines from the National Government.
Tumulak said unlike before when it was difficult to convince people to be vaccinated, more and more Cebuanos are now lining up to get jabbed, convinced that only vaccination can save them from the dire effects of the new coronavirus. (PAC)