Metro Manila Cities Begin Vaccinating Senior Citizens

Some Metro Manila cities begin vaccinating senior citizens

As the pandemic continues, giving as many vaccine doses a day as possible is crucial to curb the alarming surge of positive COVID-19 cases. Thankfully, some cities in Metro Manila such as Manila and Navotas, following the priority list set by the Department of Health (DOH) and other government agencies, are now beginning to inoculate their elderly citizens.

Manila began vaccination on 29th March

As it is almost done vaccinating medical frontliners and other healthcare workers, also known as the A1.1 to A1.7 categories, the City of Manila has now begun vaccinating senior citizens aged 60 years old and above in several barangay courts and public schools around the city. This group of people is known as the A2 category.

Metro Manila vaccinating senior citizens
Image credit: Isko Moreno Domagoso

“Halos naubos na namin ang A1.1 down to A1.7, ‘yung mga sector na prayoridad ng Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) at WHO ay halos na-comply na. Ngayon bumaba na tayo sa A2, mga senior citizen ng general population (We are almost done with categories A1.1 to A1.7, the sectors under the priority list of the IATF and the WHO, who are almost all complied with. Now we are starting to vaccinate the A2, the senior citizens of the general population),” Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso said.

3,966 seniors in the city already received their AstraZeneca jabs

There are 3,996 senior citizens already vaccinated as per the Manila Health Department’s latest report, while 83 senior patients on dialysis have received their inoculation.

The city is administering AstraZeneca doses, developed by the British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, to their senior citizens as recommended by our Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

200 Navoteño senior citizens have received their doses

Metro Manila vaccinating senior citizens Image credit: Toby Tiangco

Navotas has also begun vaccinating their elderly, and as per the government’s latest report, 200 senior citizens in the city have already received their AstraZeneca vaccines.

Metro Manila vaccinating senior citizens Image credit: Navotas PIO

“Our seniors were prioritized next to frontline health workers for a reason. They are among the most vulnerable groups because their risk of getting infected or dying is higher. Let us not take chances with their health and lives. Let us make sure they are protected from COVID-19,” Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco told the Philippine Information Agency.

Pre-registration for seniors are ongoing in other LGUs

Other local government units in Metro Manila, such as Pasig and Makati, are beginning to roll out their registration sites for seniors in their area who want to be vaccinated.

Quezon City, meanwhile, reported that they have already vaccinated 18,411 healthcare workers and have yet to announce their guidelines for the vaccination of their elders.

Vaccinating senior citizens

Our elderly population are at a higher risk of getting severe COVID-19 due to their age, and they are indeed more likely to need hospitalization when they get the virus.

So it’s good news that their vaccination is already ongoing, and we hope that our country can proceed to inoculating other population groups as soon as possible.

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Cover image adapted from: Toby Tiangco, Navotas PIO

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