Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella on May 4, 2021 received his first dose of Sinovac’s CoronaVac. | Photo from Cebu City PIO’s Live Video, via Morexette Marie Erram
CEBU CITY, Philippines—Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, received his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Labella, accompanied by several City Hall executives, was administered with CoronaVac, the COVID-19 vaccine brand of China’s Sinovac Biotech, at SM Seaside City Cebu, together with other elderlies in the city who were scheduled to receive their first dose on Tuesday morning.
His wife, Joy, also received the vaccine on Tuesday. Both were listed under A2 of the Philippine National Deployment Plan for COVID-19 vaccines.
Aside from the mayor, other elected Cebu City officials vaccinated against COVID-19 were Vice Mayor Michael Rama and Councilor Leah Japson, all of whom were senior citizens.
Cebu City resumed its vaccine rollout for seniors last May 3 after receiving a fresh supply of 9,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the national government, coursed through the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7).
Read: VM Rama says Cebu City will get more COVID-19 vaccines soon
As of April 30, there were close to 5,000 senior citizens that have been inoculated against COVID-19.
The city’s records showed there are around 90,000 elderlies residing here. Of this number, approximately 30,000 have already registered and consented to get vaccinated.
Labella, for his part, urged seniors in Cebu City to get vaccinated.
“I urge other senior citizens to get vaccinated. I was vaccinated today, and I am fine. There are certainly risks in getting vaccinated, but it is riskier to be exposed to COVID-19 without getting vaccinated,” said Labella in Cebuano.
Health officials here are targeting to jab a total of 1,500 senior citizens per day, from all three designated vaccination sites which are located in SM Seaside City Cebu, University of Cebu (UC) Banilad, and Robinsons Galleria.
/bmjo