LRT-2 stations launch vaccination drive for rail commuters

MANILA, Philippines — The Light Rail Transit Authority, which operates the Light Rail Transit-Line 2 rail line, is set to hold vaccination drives at select stations of the rail line starting Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. 

In a statement sent to reporters, Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade announced earlier that railway stations will be used as vaccination sites to ramp up the government vaccination campaign.

"Through the indispensable assistance of the City Governments of Manila and Antipolo, we are making COVID- 19 vaccines easily available, accessible, and convenient to the riding public," LRTA Administrator Jeremy Regino said in the statement. 

Commuters may take the train and get vaccinated for the first dose and the booster shots at Recto station every Tuesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and at Antipolo station every Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. 

All eligible individuals can get vaccinated by registering with manilacovid19vaccine.ph for Recto station vaccination and antipolobantaycovid.appcase.net for Antipolo. 

"We encourage our commuters and their family members to get booster jabs for added protection as well as those who have no vaccines yet to avail of our vaccination drive," Regino added. 

The vaccination sites in Recto and Antipolo stations are in accordance with and compliant with the policies, protocols, and requirements of the Department of Health, the LRTA also said in its statement.

The program is also carried out in partnership with the City Governments of Manila and Antipolo.

Regino thanked Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno, a presidential aspirant, and Antipolo Mayor Andrea Ynares for their immediate and full support to the LRTA's requests through their city health offices. 

To ensure the health and safety of its employees, the LRTA also sought the assistance of the Philippine Red Cross Bakuna Bus at LRT- 2 Depot last February 12 and the Manila City government at Recto station last February 15 and 17 to provide booster shots.

Mobile vaccination, testing for transport workers and commuters 

This comes on top of the DOTr's own four-day vaccination drive for transport workers and commuters in partnership with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and the Land Transportation Office.

There were a total of 213 persons vaccinated on the first day, 182 persons inoculated on the second day, 139 individuals received doses on the third day, while 177 were jabbed on its last day. 

In total, 711 individuals successfully received their vaccines during the four-day vaccination drive from February 14 to 17. 

The DOTr also conducted free testing for volunteering and consenting passengers at the start of the month. 

All operating rail lines have conducted 90 tests on passengers, wherein all 90 tested negative as of the latest update on the first week of February. The positivity rate is 0%.

"We are doing everything we can to maintain and keep our public transport operations safe, efficient, and running amid the COVID-19 pandemic," the DOTr said.