Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna is shown admintering COVID vaccine on a a minor. With her are (from left) GABMMC Director Dr. Ted Martin, third district Congressman Yul Servo and first district Congressman Ernix Dionisio. Photo by JERRY S. TAN
Isko asks gov’t to allow COVID jabs for all minors
THE rollout of the vaccination of minors with comorbidities in Manila yesterday yielded a relatively low turnout, prompting Mayor Isko Moreno to call on the national government to already allow the inoculation of minors in general.
Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, Congressman Yul Servo and Manila Health Department chief Dr. Arnold Pangan led vaccination efforts in the city-run hospitals.
Lacuna administered some of the shots assisted by Servo.
They were also assisted by directors of the Justice Abad Santos General Hospital (JASGH), Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (GABMMC), Ospital ng Tondo, Ospital ng Sampaloc and the Sta. Ana Hospital (SAH).
The pilot inoculation of minors with comorbidities was held over the weekend at the Ospital ng Maynila.
Lacuna said the low turnout may have been due to ongoing online classes. She did not rule out the possibility of hesitancy and the rains.
JASGH Director Dr. Merle Sacdalan said they were informed by some parents that their children who were listed for vaccination had exams yesterday.
The GABMMC headed by Dr. Ted Martin was the city-run hospital that had the most number of vaccinees. By lunchtime, it already hit over 80 minors, Martin said.
SAH Director Dr. Grace Padilla said only 50 minors showed up as of 2 p.m.
Lacuna said each hospital had a target number of 150 minors slated for vaccination based on the list of minors with comorbidities given by their respective barangays.
Owing to this, Moreno directed Pangan to coordinate with the Department of Health (DOH) for the possible vaccination of all minors.
