The city government of Manila has started vaccinating its senior citizens with the China-made Sinovac Covid-19 vaccines after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave its approval for Sinovac on seniors based in experts’ recommendation.
“The vaccination for senior citizens was stopped because we ran out of AstraZeneca. From the Director General of the FDA himself, Dr. Eric Domingo, we were informed that Sinovac is now allowed for senior citizens,” Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said in his Facebook live update.
Moreno also asked barangay chairpersons and other officials to help senior citizens by picking them up from their houses and accompanying them to vaccination sites if needed.
The FDA, in a statement said “vaccination should be preceded by an evaluation of the persons’ health status and exposure risk to assure that benefits of vaccination outweigh risks.”
Manila has also expanded its number of vaccination sites to accommodate more people. From three sites, 20 more vaccination sites have been opened in the city to cater to more Manileños who wish to receive the Covid-19 jabs.
The vaccination sites are as follows: District 1 – Emilio Jacinto Elementary School, Isabelo Delos Reyes Elementary School, and Vicente Lim Elementary School;
District 2 – Pres. Sergio Osmena High School, Francisco Benitez Elementary School, and Plaridel Elementary School;
District 3 – Andres Bonifacio Elementary School, Pedro Guevarra Elementary School, and Apolinario Mabini Elementary School; District 4 – Ramon Magsaysay High School, General Malvar Elementary School, and Graciano Lopez Jaena Elementary School;
District 5 – Rafael Palma Elementary School, Justo Lucban Elementary School, Benigno Aquino Elementary School, Manila City Hall, and Palacio de Maynila in Roxas Boulevard; and District 6 – Jacinto Zamora Elementary School, Sta. Ana Elementary School, and EARIST High School.