Smart Araneta Coliseum, gagawing mega vaccination site sa Quezon City

MANILA, Philippines — Gagawing mega vaccination site ng ­Quezon City government ang Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ayon kay Quezon City Mayor Joy ­Belmonte, pumayag ang Araneta Group na magamit na vaccination site ang Big Dome, simula bukas, Sabado, Mayo 15.

Nabatid na ang Smart Araneta Coliseum ay mayroong 15,400-square foot clear area, at arena area na 1,400 square meters at ayon kay Belmonte, makakaya nilang magbakuna dito ng mula 1,000 hanggang 1,500 katao kada araw para sa priority groups.

“It is a suitable site for a massive and critical government health drive since it offers adequate space and accessibility to both our healthcare workers and the public,” anang alkalde sa isang pahayag.

Una nang sinabi ng lokal na pamahalaan na target nilang makapagtayo ng hanggang 24 vaccination sites sa lungsod.

Magtatalaga umano sila ng 22 em­pleyado dito na binubuo ng mga physicians, marshals, vaccinators, counselors, at admi­nistrative staff.

Matatandaang bumili na rin ang Quezon City ng sarili nilang bakuna, sa pamamagitan ng tripartite agreement sa AstraZeneca at national government, upang matiyak na mababakunahan ang lahat ng residente.

“We’re grateful to our partners in the private sector as they continue to work with us in order to provide us with spacious and comfortable ve­nues and to augment our manpower resources,” ayon naman kay Business Permits and Licen­sing Department (BPLD) head Margie Santos.

Ang kanilang Bus Port naman ang nagsilbing site para sa drive-thru saliva testing ng Philippine Red Cross (PRC).

Ayon naman kay Araneta Group SVP Antonio Mardo,  “We are very pleased to accommodate the QC LGU’s vaccination campaign inside the Smart Araneta Coliseum. This is our contribution to the government’s efforts to control the surge of COVID-19 cases in the city and to improve public health.”