Sputnik vaccines roll-out in Cebu City starts 

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Russian vaccine, Gamalea Sputnik, will be distributed to selected individuals here starting Wednesday, June 9, 2021. 

According to the Cebu City Health Department (CHD), all 300 Sputnik vaccines sent to Cebu have been allocated to Cebu City because only the city has the capability to store the vaccine. 

READ: Region 7 receives 1st shipment of 300 doses of Sputnik V

The distribution will be done at the University of Cebu (UC) campus along the J. Alcantara Street on Wednesday afternoon. 

Doctor Jeffrey Ibones, the officer-in-charge of the CHD, said they have chosen 300 beneficiaries in random and have informed them ahead of time to get their consent. 

“Pareha gihapon sa Pfizer sa una, atong gi choose randomly. This time, nangayo ta daan og consent,” said

(Just like with the Pfizer vaccines before, we chose randomly. This time, we asked for their consent ahead.)

It is crucial that the beneficiaries are willing to get the vaccine because there is only a two-hour window from when the vaccine is released from storage to the inoculation. 

The city currently relies on the storage facility of the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7) and although the storage facility is near, the window period can be tricky. 

READ: Region 7 has facilities fit for Sputnik V vaccines

Ibones said there are people who refused the Sputnik vaccine, but the overwhelming number of people who want to get the vaccine made it possible for the CHD to fill all 300 spots.

The CHD expects the distribution to be completed on Wednesday because the doses are only few. 

Should there be individuals who will not be present for the vaccination of the Sputnik vaccines, the dose will be given immediately to someone else. 

/bmjo