There is a long queue at the two schools in Baseco Compound that are some of the vaccination sites today in Manila this Friday.
At Baseco, Corazon Aquino Elementary School and Benigno Aquino Elementary School are now being visited by residents on the A5 group.
There was a queue early in the morning, especially since only one thousand doses were available at each vaccination site.
Some have just been cut off in recent days.
With so many already queuing, implementing physical distancing is a big challenge.
Earlier, the school guard commanded the queue, so it was difficult for them to organize it, and people were standing close to each other.
The barangay is now also helping and ensuring that the residents wear face masks and face shields to let them in.
For those who line up early, queuing for the vaccine for their hoped-for protection against COVID-19 is a sacrifice that has to be made.
A5 group vaccination continues in Baseco
“2:30 am andito na kami. Madilim pa, wlaang tao pero kinaya namin kasi kailangan lahat magpabakuna. Sacrifice talaga. Walang VIP ganun,” said resident Zyra Verastique.
“March pa kami nagregister. Ngayon lang kami nagkaroon ng opportunity na makapila. Sabi nila first come, first served. Kinakabahan pa rin kasi hindi pa rin sure kung makakapasok kasi ang daming pila ngayon so sana makaabot kami,” she added.
An estimated 8.5 million individuals are part of the A5 priority group.
This includes poor members of the population aged 18 to 59 years.
The A5 group is on the list of the poor based on the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction – or according to local government verification.
According to vaccine “czar” Carlito Galvez Jr., it is possible to start vaccinating the A5 group when the 4.2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses arrive from the COVAX facility this June.
“Titingnan natin ‘yung program flow ng ating LGUs, just in case na nakita nila na talagang wala nang dumarating at na-exhaust na nila ‘yung kanilang effort to allow A1 to A3 to be vaccinated, pwede na silang pumunta sa A5,” said Galvez.
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