Pasig's vaccine supply not enough to cover all essential workers, says Mayor Vico

Pasig City's current COVID-19 vaccine supply is not enough to cover essential workers, Mayor Vico Sotto said Tuesday.

"Nasa 11,000 [doses] na lang po iyong on hand natin na puwede gamitin sa A4 [essential workers] sector, kulang na kulang po kasi araw-araw, dumarami po ang gustong magpabakuna," Sotto said during the Laging Handa briefing.

(Our vaccine supply for A4 sector is just at 11,000 doses, which are really not enough since there are more and more people who want to get vaccinated every day.)

"Iyong vaccines rin po na galing sa COVAX, kailangan po ay para sa A1, A2, A3 at A5 lamang...hindi puwede aa A4; iyon po ang mga konting challenge," he added.

(Vaccines from COVAX Facility cannot be used on A4 sector, so those are the challenges.)

Sotto was referring to top three priority groups in the vaccination program which include health workers, senior citizens and persons with comorbidities. A5, on the other hand, are indigents and poor families.

As it is, Sotto said Pasig's vaccination capacity has already reached 7,000 doses per day, exceeding its initial target of 5,800 doses per day.

"Kung sapat ang bilang ng bakuna, kaya natin hanggang 8,000 [per day] siguro, kasama ang private partnerships natin [If there is enough supply, we can vaccinate as much as 8,000 per day together with our partners in the private sector]," he said.

Sotto said that Pasig has already administered 250,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses so far, with 75,000 individuals already completing two doses. He, however, said there is more work to be done.

"Hindi pa ganoon kataas ang porsyento namin, pero nakabase lang naman iyon sa bilang ng matatanggap natin na supply [The percentage of those vaccinated in our city is not that high, because it is contingent on supply]," he said.

"Naintindihan naman natin, hindi naman ito controlled ng kahit sinong tao, opisina, kasi global supply chain ito. Ang importante, kapag binibigyan tayo [ng bakuna], inuubos natin kaagad," Sotto added.

(We understand that the supply is beyond anyone's control because this is a global supply chain. But what is important is we are able to use the doses as soon as we get them.)  —KBK, GMA News