The city government of Manila has procured its own cold storage facilities and vaccines for COVID-19 in support of the national government’s efforts to achieve herd immunity, according to Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso.
“Manila will acquire its own vaccines to supplement the effort of the national government,” Domagoso said during a visit conducted by the Coordinated Operations to Defeat Epidemic (CODE) Team to the city on Friday, January 29.
The CODE Team visits are part of the national government’s efforts to help LGUs across the country get ready for the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccines, which include the preparation of local vaccine implementation plans and master lists of residents to be inoculated.
“Gusto po namin na bumalik na sa trabaho ang mga tao nang panatag, sumakay na sila ulit ng public transport nang komportable, magbukas ulit ang mga negosyo, at magtaguyod na in full capacity ng kanilang mga hanap-buhay,” he added.
Manila is among the 39 local government units (LGUs) that signed a tripartite agreement with the national government and British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca on January 12.
Under the said agreement, a total of 17 million vaccine doses will be provided by the pharmaceutical company to the LGUs and private sector.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Utilization Authority (EUA) to AstraZeneca yesterday. The FDA had earlier given Pfizer a similar EUA.
For his part, National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF COVID-19) Chief Implementer and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. lauded the preparations being carried out by the
Manila LGU in preparation for the arrival of the vaccines.
“Tama si Yorme (Mayor Domagoso). Preparado na ang buong Manila sa bakuna. Ang kulang na lang, bakuna,” Galvez said.
“Ang preparasyon ng Manila ay kakaiba. Importante po talaga ang leadership. Kahit gaano kaganda ang preparasyon ng nasyonal, kung ang leadership ng isang siyudad ay maganda rin, hindi kami (nasyonal) nahihirapan,” he added.
In addition to procuring its own vaccines, the city government has procured 50 transport coolers and conducted simulation activities as it gears up for the start of the inoculation program next month.
The city government has so far identified 18 vaccination sites, with three teams to be deployed per site to inoculate 18,000 Manilenos daily.
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