Poor residents in San Juan feel relieved after COVID-19 vaccination

As the San Juan government started inoculating the indigent population or those included in the A5 category, some poor residents felt relieved as they received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In Jun Veneracion's "24 Oras" report, 85-year-old Lily Orense finally got her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

At the San Juan Arena, Orense, who made a living as a vendor, personally went to the vaccination center despite having difficulty in walking. She was carrying her walker as well as her wares when she got inoculated.

According to her, she was eligible for the A2 category or senior citizens but she only decided to get immunized against COVID-19 when vaccination opened for the A5 category.

"I am always going around. I was scared because I am always outside. I might get hit by the virus so I said why not get vaccinated?" Orense said in Filipino.

Roberto Lopez, another senior citizen included in the indigent population, said getting vaccinated showed equality between rich and poor.

"We are all equal. There is no rich or poor here in vaccination," he said in Filipino.

A gleeful Jane Desamis, who is a worker in the informal sector, also said she feels "free" after getting her first shot of COVID-19 jab.

According to the San Juan City government, indigent residents can get inoculated starting June 15 as long as they bring the following requirements:

• government ID
• certificate of indigency from barangay
• confirmatory text on their schedule of vaccination

— Consuelo Marquez/DVM, GMA News