A health worker prepares a dose of Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology’s Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination drive in Mandaluyong on July 15, 2021. (File photo from AFP)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City residents awaiting their second dose of the Sputnik V vaccines for the last three months can now breathe a sigh of relief.
The Cebu City Health Department (CHD) said that today, September 22, 2021, at least 4,900 Sputnik vaccines arrived in Cebu City.
A primary batch of 200 doses was earlier delivered this week.
This means that all 5,100 individuals who were inoculated of the first dose of the Sputnik V vaccine will finally get their second dose, just inside the six months allowable period.
Since there are only a limited number of individuals who are scheduled for a second dose, the distribution of the Sputnik vaccines will be from September 23 to September 25, 2021.
The University of Cebu J. Alcantara Campus and the New Oasis for Adaptation and a Home (NOAH) mega vaccination site will be the only sites where the second dose Sputnik will be administered.
CHD Head, Doctor Jeffrey Ibones, said that individuals due for a second dose will get a text message for their schedule within those three days allocated period.
“Ato lang hangyoon sa atong katawhan nga maghuwat lang sa ilang schedule,” said Ibones.
Aside from the Sputnik vaccines, at least 8,000 Pfizer doses arrived in Cebu City as well and the CHD will start to distribute them by next week.
However, the Pfizer vaccines may not be available for walk-ins as these were donated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and there are guidelines for the distribution.
“So magmeeting pa mi unsay guideline aning Pfizer pero basin dili ni pwede sa walk-ins,” said Ibones.
The CHD is encouraging the public to get vaccinated as the city is still far from the target population of 700,000.
As of now, 329,079 have been inoculated with the first dose and 242,928 with the second dose, while at least 693,961 have registered for the vaccine program.
The city government reminds the public that vaccinated individuals get more perks including being allowed for indoor dine-in and being served in personal services establishments. /rcg
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