Some cities covered by the National Capital Region (NCR) Plus are still waiting for the supply of vaccines before starting the vaccination of their economic frontliners, who are in the A4 priority category of vaccination against COVID-19.
According to Laguna Provincial Health Director Dr. Rene Bagamasbad, they are still waiting for the rules for injecting in the A4 category, especially since they still have many backlogs from the A2 and A3 categories – or senior citizens and those with comorbidity.
The LGU of Antipolo in Rizal is also waiting before starting the vaccination, according to Public Information Officer Jun Ynares.
“Naiintindihan po namin pero sana lang po malinaw ang messaging, kasi po kami ang sinisingil ng taumbayan. Kami po ang nagpapaliwang, kami po ang frontliner, mahirap pong magpaliwanag kung magkakaiba po ang mensahe,” he said.
Marikina City will first end the vaccination of those in the A2 and A3 categories even though 2,000 doses of the vaccine arrived on Wednesday morning before injecting the economic frontliners.
Some LGUs await COVID-19 vaccine supply before starting A4 vaccination
They will also wait for the steady supply of the vaccine, which is expected on June 14.
“Pipilitin namin maging 7,500-10,000 ang mabakunahan per day, kung magiging steady ang supply ng bakuna, ‘yun ang challenge. Nag-hire kami ng mga contractual na doctor at nurses, ibig sabihin magbabayad kami per day, sa araw kung ilan ang nakakapagpabakuna,” said Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro.
The health authorities in Imus in Cavite have also appealed to the national government to provide additional vaccination allocation to start vaccination in the A4 category.
Imus’s current priority is to vaccinate senior citizens, and only 10 percent of the vaccine supply is reserved for persons with comorbidities.
“Tulad niyan last week nabigyan kami ng 1,000 Sinovac pero we are advised na para sa mga A2 o senior citizens lang iyon. So, as I see, ang A4 kasi ang nagta-transport eh. Sila ang nagta-travel from one place to another. So, sila ang most probably ang high-risk of exposure from one city to another,” said Ospital ng Imus Hospital Administrator Dr. Cherrie Lyn Tumilba-Boque.
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