Sputnik, AstraZeneca vaccines for senior citizens in Cebu City

Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella holds a press conference at the City Hall. | Delta Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Senior citizens in Cebu City can expect to be inoculated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in the next few days as the country’s vaccine czar, Secretary Antonio Galves, promised the arrival of the two brands of vaccines in the city.

Mayor Edgardo Labella announced that the national government will be sending doses of the Russian vaccine Sputnik, and the UK vaccine AstaZeneca for the vaccination of those 59-years-old and above and for those with comorbidities.

READ: Senior citizens in Cebu City urged to register for vaccination now

“Ang sulti ni Secretary Galves nako this week or next week he will make available the Sputnik and AstraZeneca nga pwede sa senior citizen,” said the mayor.

(Secretary Galves said that this week or next week, he will make available the Sputnik and AstraZeneca that can be given to senior citizens.)

The Chinese vaccine, Sinovac could not be inoculated to those 59-year-olds and above, causing the delay in the release of the vaccines to senior citizens.

As the ban on the inoculation of the vaccines to public officials has been lifted as well, Mayor Labella will lead the vaccination program for the senior citizens by getting the shot himself.

He said whatever vaccine will be available, either AstraZeneca or Sputnik, he will be willing to be inoculated to show the senior citizens that it is safe.

“At least makatabang og convince nila. There is always a risk in everything we do, but if you compare the risk kung di ka magpabakuna, makakuha kag COVID unya kung magpabakuna ang risgo ra kay side effects, pabakuna nalang,” said Labella.

(At least we can help convince them. There is always a risk in everything we do, but if you compare the risk between not getting vaccinated and getting COVID or being vaccinated and risk having side effects, it’s better to be vaccinated.)

Labella said that he understands the fear because he recently survived sepsis after his ear infection, which means that he is under the category of people with comorbidities, but this will not stop him from getting vaccinated.

The city government notes that only 11,000 of the 80,000 senior citizens in the city have registered for the vaccines, and they are calling the rest to register already online or through their barangays.

READ: 3K BHWs, private health workers in Cebu City vaccinated

As for the 2,000 health workers who have yet to be vaccinated, Labella said additional doses of the Sinovac has allocated by the Department of Health (DOH).

The vaccination will continue tomorrow at Robinsons Galleria and the University of Cebu Banilad Campus for the registered health workers.

“Take advantage of this,” said Labella.

The city government is still negotiating the Covovax vaccine from India for its own procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine, but the mayor said they will only buy doses when the allocation from the national government ends.

/bmjo