Walk-in COVID-19 vaccination allowed for senior citizens during ECQ — DOH exec

Senior citizens will be allowed to walk into COVID-19 vaccination centers unscheduled while Metro Manila is under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the chairperson of the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) said Tuesday.

“Puwede pong mag-walk in ‘yung ating mga senior citizen tapos priority po sila kung saan puwede (Senior citizens can walk into vaccination sites and they will be prioritized),” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said in an online forum.

The capital region will be under ECQ, the strictest lockdown classification, from August 6 to 20

While senior citizens will not be allowed to leave their homes, they can go out to get to a vaccination center.

“I’m sure there will be some honesty involved for our senior citizens,” Cabotaje said.

“Discerning naman itong ating pulis na talagang magpapabakuna itong mga senior citizen kasi wala naman ibang pupuntahan at naka-close naman karamihan lahat ng establishments,” she added.

(Our police are discerning enough to know if senior citizens will really go to a vaccination site, since there is nowhere else they can go with most establishments closed.)

Data from the NVOC showed that only 32.57% of over 8.5 million senior citizens have been fully vaccinated as of August 2.

The World Health Organization has expressed concern over the “unacceptable” low vaccination rate among the elderly in the Philippines. 

Cabotaje said this was initially caused by limited vaccine supply but noted that many areas still have not ramped up their inoculation of the elderly despite the delivery of more doses. 

She said other factors causing the low vaccination rate are vaccine hesitancy and difficulties in registering for a jab.

Health authorities earlier launched the “Tutok A2” program to vaccinate more senior citizens. — RSJ, GMA News