Better wait for schedule before heading to vaccination site, says DOH exec

The Department of Health’s Metro Manila director on Tuesday urged the public to wait for a schedule instead of walking into COVID-19 vaccination sites to avoid overcrowding.

“Kailangan po muna kasi magparehistro online ‘yung mga babakunahan tapos ‘pag nakarehistro na ay tine-text po sila doon sa schedule nila (A vaccination schedule will be given after online registration),” Dr. Gloria Balboa said in a Laging Handa briefing.

Balboa said a long queue for Pfizer vaccines formed at a Parañaque mall on Monday because some individuals who were not scheduled for inoculation that day still went to the venue.

A similar incident took place in Manila on Tuesday morning and in Parañaque earlier this month.

Balboa said vaccinations are usually more orderly in cities that do not accept walk-ins.

“‘Pag nag-walk in kasi, mas magulo. Madalas, mas marami ‘yung walk-in sa naka-schedule so it would be better talaga na sundin ‘yung schedule,” she stressed.

(It gets complicated when there are walk ins. Usually, the number of walk-ins exceeds those with a schedule so it’s really better to follow the schedule.)

She also called on those who have registered to confirm their attendance once they receive a text about their schedule to avoid losing their slot.

“Mayroon din kasing mga hindi sumasagot. So ‘pag hindi sumagot, nagte-text po sila ng parang additional [person] just in case na hindi dumating. So baka mas napadami ‘yung parang tinext na additional, pwede ring nangyari ‘yun,” Balboa said.

(There are instances when vaccinators text an additional person just in case the intended vaccine recipient does not confirm or does not show up. It’s possible that sometimes, too many additional people are texted.)

The Philippines has vaccinated over 2.2 million people since March 1, still far from the government’s target of inoculating 50 million to 70 million people this year. -MDM, GMA News