Caloocan mayor, 65, gets priority jab

MANILA, Philippines — Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan said yesterday he was vaccinated against COVID-19 during the vaccination drive for senior citizens last week, days before mayors were allowed to get the jab as frontliners.

“When they opened (the vaccination drive) for senior citizens, I took advantage of it,” he said, adding that he opted for AstraZeneca’s vaccine.

Although he was inoculated ahead of Malacañang’s Saturday announcement allowing mayors to be vaccinated as frontliners, Malapitan was given the clearance by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Malapitan is a senior citizen at 65 years old, according to the city government’s public information office.

At least 11 mayors in the country were asked by the Department of Interior and Local Government to explain why they had themselves vaccinated before President Duterte gave the clearance.

Abalos, Cayetano get Sinovac

Mayor Menchie Abalos and Lino Cayetano of Taguig have received their first doses of Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The current supply of vaccines is intended for health workers and medical staff. While some local government units have started inoculating senior citizens and citizens with comorbidities, some local governments have yet to finish vaccinating health workers.

Mandaluyong started vaccinating elderly residents and people with comorbidities last week. Abalos said the city would continue vaccinating health workers, adults with comorbidities and senior citizens.

Cayetano said he received his first shot of Sinovac together with government frontliners, senior citizens and adults with comorbidities during a vaccination drive on Monday at the Lakeshore Vaccination Hub.

Cayetano urged residents to register with the city government to secure a slot in the vaccination schedule.

“While supplies from the national government continue to come in, we are expecting our orders of AstraZeneca, Covovax, Covaxin and Moderna to arrive by the third quarter of the year. This will help the city in achieving its aim of fully inoculating the Taguig citizenry,” he said in a statement.