Manila sets up drive-thru vac center

In an effort to speed up vaccination against Covid-19, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna are planning to put up a drive-thru vaccination system in order to accommodate motorists and public utility vehicle drivers who find this more convenient than going to a designated vaccination site.

It was learned that Domagoso and Lacuna are polishing a plan to be implemented soon when the city government’s vaccine allotment for first dose becomes available.

This will serve as the 25th vaccination site of the city.

In preparation for the possibility of more Delta variant cases being reported in Manila, the mayor bared he and Lacuna have decided to buy high-flow oxygen in order to avoid intubation among those who may develop severe or critical cases of Covid-19.

He said they ordered 750 tanks each containing 50 liters of oxygen, on top of the regular orders for Covid and non-Covid patients in the six city-run hospitals.

“The additional order of tanks is equivalent to 37,500 liters of oxygen. We are using the incidents taking place in other parts of the world. We are ready pero sana di magamit (but I hope they won’t be used),” Domagoso said.

The Manila city government also bought 5,521 units of Remdesivir and 1,140 of Tocilizumab. Both expensive and hard to find, these medicines are usually used for those suffering from severe or critical cases of Covid-19.

As this developed, Manila Health Department chief Dr. Arnold “Poks’’ Pangan reported that the total number of vaccines given to Manila residents as of 6 p.m. of 19 July has reached 1,019,618.

Pangan said the total number of persons vaccinated with the first dose is 663,649, while those who received their second dose have reached 355,969.

These figures are expected to increase as the vaccination for first and second doses continues.

Meanwhile, Mayor Domagoso appealed to his constituents to practice discipline among themselves, following the reported incident at San Andres Complex where some of those who did not make it to the vaccination cut-off for the day still forced their way through.

He said there are many vaccination sites, consisting of 18 schools and four malls, where residents can go to.

In preparation for more Delta variant cases being reported in Manila, the city government has bought high-flow oxygen in order to avoid intubation among those who may develop severe or critical cases of Covid-19.