Manila inoculates 163 residents

I really want to have myself vaccinated. I have been exposed seven times to those who are Covid-19 positive. Thank God, I tested negative seven times

At least 163 persons who voluntarily submitted themselves at Sta. Ana Hospital yesterday signaled the start of the Covid-19 vaccination in the City of Manila.

Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso made the announcement, as the city’s medical frontliners, including Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, who is a physician, got themselves vaccinated during a mass inoculation at the hospital.

Apart from Lacuna, the mayor said Acting City Health Officer Arnold “Poks” Pangan, Sta. Ana Hospital director Dr. Grace Padilla, Sta. Ana’s Manila Infectious Disease Control Center head Dr. Nerissa Sescon, Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center head Karl Laqui and nearly 200 other health frontliners also took the jab, following the delivery of the Sinovac vaccines donated by the national government the other day.

Domagoso, who was present during the mass vaccination, said he is just awaiting further directives as to when mayors will be allowed to get the vaccine.

Those qualified in the priority list of the national government are members of the health care sector who are exposed to Covid patients.

The Manila chief executive said that, although he really wants to get vaccinated for his added protection, there is a need to observe the rules set by the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases prioritizing health care workers, since the entire population’s health depends on them.

“I am very happy for our vice mayor Dr. Honey Lacuna-Pangan who is also a medical frontliner who has already been vaccinated. I really want to have myself vaccinated. I have been exposed seven times to those who are Covid-19 positive. Thank God, I tested negative seven times,” Domagoso said.

“I am at risk daily just like other mayors. But we will continue following the national policy to prioritize medical frontliners. I will wait for my turn,” he said.

It was learned that 1,900 of the city’s 5,000 medical frontliners have registered for free vaccination.

The city government received 3,000 doses of CoronaVac, which will cover 1,500 persons.

These health frontliners are assigned in the six city hospitals, the Manila Health Department and the various barangay health centers.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB DUNGO JR. FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE @tribunephl_bob MANILA Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna and husband Dr. Arnold Pangan, Manila City Health Officer, show off their arms after having been vaccinated with the CoronaVac vaccine of Sinovac at the start of yesterday’s mass inoculation in the City of Manila.