Mandaluyong resumes vaccination drive 

The Mandaluyong City local government announced the resumption of its Covid-19 vaccination program after the onslaught of typhoon “Karding” to further increase the number of individuals boosted against Covid-19, according to a report by Manila Bulletin.

“As of Sept. 22, the City Health Department (CHD) has already deployed 3,465 2nd booster jabs for the A1 category, 13,996 2nd booster shots to A2 senior citizens, and 33,781 2nd booster doses to A3 persons with commorbidities,” the city government said.

Mandaluyong City Mayor Ben Abalos said the city’s vaccination drive is in line with the PinasLakas COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign of the Department of Health (DOH) in making booster shots accessible, safe, and free.

Under the new campaign, local government units (LGUs) will make use of a settings-based approach in their vaccine deployment such as offering booster doses in offices, schools, places of worship, markets, factories, plaza, malls, public transport terminals, and other areas in the community.

The city government recently partnered with Rockwell Business Center Sheridan and held the Jabs on Jobsite to deliver booster shots to employees of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) companies.

A similar partnership was also made with San Miguel Corporation where a pop-up vaccination center was set up at the company’s headquarter in Ortigas Center. Mayor Abalos, DOH OIC Dr. Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, and SMC President Ramon Ang led the vaccination of employees last Sept. 14.

During the opening of classes for school year 2022-2023, the city government also put up vaccination centers in public schools to deploy vaccines to students.

Abalos said the CHD was ordered to set-up vaccination sites at the Rizal Technological University (RTU), Andres Bonifacio Integrated School (ABIS), and Isaac Lopez Integrated School (ILIS).

The vaccination sites in these schools will operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students who wish to get vaccinated must have the consent of their parents.

CHD personnel at the vaccination sites will also help students in registering with the city’s MandaVax portal, the city’s Covid-19 vaccination database, if they haven’t registered yet.

“We know that getting vaccinated is crucial for our children who will attend face-to-face classes. We want them to be protected. And of course, we are reminding all our students to continue practicing the minimum health protocols even if they are vaccinated,” Abalos said.

He added that more vaccination sites will be set up in schools in the coming days.