Cebu City prepares for mass vaccination

A senior health worker at Ospital ng Maynila is inoculated with the AstraZeneca vaccine. | Inquirer photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Local officials here are now preparing to inoculate the general public by June.

Councilor Dave Tumulak and City Health Officer, Dr. Jeffrey Ibones, confirmed to reporters on Monday, May 24, 2021, that they received advice from the national government to get ready for the mass vaccination.

With this, Tumulak said the city is looking for additional vaccination centers to accommodate more individuals who want to receive the shots.

“As of now, we found three viable options as vaccination centers. But we cannot disclose their exact locations as of the moment since these are still under discussions,” Tumulak said in Cebuano.

Ibones, in a separate interview, urged residents here to register online so they can be part of the city’s masterlist.

“We will be submitting the masterlist to the national government because this will serve as basis for our vaccine allocation. They will determine how many vaccines the LGU (local government unit) can receive through the masterlist,” explained Ibones in Cebuano.

Rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines in Cebu City, for medical frontliners, senior citizens, and individuals with co-morbidities, is still ongoing as of May 24.

Ibones said close to 35,000 individuals have already been administered with their doses.

The city is targeting to inoculate at least 700,000 residents here if it meant accomplishing a 70 percent success rate, which experts say is the threshold for achieving herd immunity.

But as of May, Ibones said only around 130,000 have successfully registered and formally gave their consent to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“But the figures still grow each day, and at least we already made progress than having nothing at all. We’re hopeful with the mass vaccination come this June, we will be able to fast track our goals,” explained Ibones.

More manpower

Aside from the need to establish more vaccination sites, and encourage more people to get themselves inoculated, officials here also need more manpower for the mass vaccination.

Tumulak said once mass vaccination starts, they needed at least 40 medical personnel per site. These included nurses and doctors.

“We also need ushers or usherettes to guide those who will be vaccinated, plus security,” said Tumulak.

“This is also why we’re urging volunteers to help us. This is not only for the good of those who got vaccinated and the city government but their help will definitely fast track our goal to have everyone vaccinated,” he added.

Cebu City is part of the national government’s priority areas for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

/bmjo

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