Quezon City opens 6 new vaccination centers

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government has opened six new vaccination centers that will specifically cater to those who need assistance in signing up for COVID-19 vaccines, officials said yesterday.

“We’re trying to capture people who don’t have any way to go online,” vaccination task force co-chair Joseph Juico said in a phone interview.

“We’re capturing the constituents who do not have cell phones, or email (addresses) or experience difficulty in booking online. This is another avenue to address these difficulties,” he added.

Barangay officials reach out to those who need assisted bookings based on the lists of those who have existing identification cards issued by the city government.

Only those belonging to the priority list may receive vaccines, including frontliners, senior citizens and adults with comorbidities.

Earlier, the city government activated one vaccination center in each of the six districts of the city.

The additional six sites are located at the Balingasa High School, Commonwealth Elementary School, Quirino ES, Diosdado P. Macapagal ES, Lagro HS and New Era HS.

Latest data showed that over 67,000 people have been vaccinated in the city.

Quezon City on Friday resumed vaccinating senior citizens with some 2,500 excess doses of AstraZeneca from private hospitals in the city.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said they are waiting for guidelines from the Department of Health regarding the administration of Sinovac vaccines to seniors.

She said they are also ready to open additional vaccination centers, noting that the city has already identified over 24 sites across the six districts.

“I am quite confident that our vaccination will be successful in Quezon City,” she said.