Unvaccinated persons form long queues, crowd vax sites

Significant numbers of unvaccinated individuals formed long queues and crowded several COVID-19 vaccination sites across the country, according to Maki Pulido’s Friday “24 Oras” report.

Among the vaccination sites that saw queues was the Ramon Magsaysay High School in Manila.

Healthcare personnel said at least 2,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines were used every day.

“Kami po yung minumura, kami po yung sinisisi kung bakit matagal yung pila,” said vaccination site facilitator Rex Garcia.

(They were cursing us, they blamed us for the long queues.)

“Naiistress na ako. Pagna-iistress ako tumataas ang BP (blood pressure) ko. Dahil hindi namin alam kung anong oras kami makakapasok,” said senior Zenaida Paulino, adding that she waited in line for almost two hours.

(I'm stressed. When I'm stressed my blood pressure rises because we don’t know when we would get vaccinated.)

Meanwhile, several vehicles formed long queues in the drive-thru vaccination site at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

Some individuals fell in line at 4:30 a.m. and waited at least six hours to get vaccinated.

“Nandito na rin lang eh kesa uuwi kami ng wala sayang lang ginasolina namin at toll gate,” said Ross Balmes.

(We just waited in line, if we go home it would have just been a waste of fuel going through the toll gate.)

Residents in Canlubang, Laguna failed to observe social distancing as many flocked to vaccination sites.

“Umuwi na lang kami kasi nagkakagulo po sa entrance ng vaccination site eh kasi andami pong nakakasingit and sobrang siksikan na rin nung mga tao,” resident Cedric Maguad said.

(We just went home because there was a commotion at the entrance of the vaccination site. There were a lot of people cutting in line and it was too crowded.)

Meanwhile, vaccinators in Marikina and Manila were also struggling as many of them were infected by COVID-19.

“Wala na kaming dayoff kasi we have to accommodate yung dami,” Maria Carmen Macalalad, nurse supervisor in Manila, said.

(We don't have a rest day because we have to accommodate a lot of unvaccinated individuals.)

“Ang fear namin yun nga humaharap kami sa iba’t ibang klase ng tao na hindi namin alam kung sino ba sa kanila ang infected na possible kaming mahawa na hindi namin alam,” Dr. Lourdelia De Guzman, healthcare personnel in Marikina, said.

(We're afraid that we might be infected as we face different types of people. We do not know who is infected with COVID-19.)

The Philippines on Friday logged 37,207 new COVID-19 cases, another record daily tally since the start of the pandemic, increasing the nationwide count to 3,129,512.

The previous highest daily case count reported was 34,021 on Thursday, January 13. — Richa Noriega/DVM, GMA News