Cebu City opens jab site for mountain barangays

CEBU, Philippines —  Another jab site was opened to serve residents of the mountain barangays in Cebu City.

The Cebu City government has opened Friday the Don Bosco Technical College as its fourth operational vaccination sites to accommodate residents of the mountain barangays of Toong, Buhisan, Pamutan, and Sapangdaku, said Dr. Jeffrey Ibones, Cebu City Health Department officer-in-charge.

Ibones said the school has joined three other vaccination sites-the University of Cebu-Alcantara St. Campus, UC-Banilad, and Robinsons Galleria in North Reclamation Area-which resumed operations following the suspension of vaccination operations due to lack of vaccine supplies in the city.

Acting Mayor Michael Rama, Councilor Phillip Zafra, and City Attorney Rey Gealon visited the new jab site at Pleasant Homes Subdivision in Punta Princesa yesterday.

Ibones added that around 80,000 residents have so far been inoculated, including those who have received their second dose.

He said vaccinations for the A4 priority group will be administered provided there are supplies of Sinovac vaccines.

“Basta naa Sinovac, ang vaccine pwede ta mag-start. Pero so far ang daghan nato nga bakuna is ang Pfizer man,” Ibones said.

He said the Pfizer vaccines will be used for those belonging to the A1, A2, A3, and A5 priority groups.

“Bag-o pa man ta gitagaan. Unya, hopefully matagaan inig hurot tingale sa atong bakuna,” he said.

“Di pa man nato mahurot sa usa ka adlaw,” noted Ibones, saying there are still remaining vaccine supplies.

As to the President’s pronouncement on the face shield, Ibones said, “wala gyud ta mahimo ana. We are to follow labi na kanang daghan kaayong tawo.”

He said that the wearing of facemask would suffice and that face shield is an added protection.

Ibones added that there is no problem if the face shield will be required if people would go to malls or in crowded places. — Deogracia William Bemida, Silliman University Intern, GMR (FREEMAN)