MANILA Mayor Isko Moreno announced that the Manila Health Department (MHD) has started conducting vaccination of the second booster shots for healthcare workers (A1), senior citizens (A2) and the immunocompromised (A3).
Citing a report from MHD chief Dr. Arnold Pangan, Moreno said the activity that began on Thursday saw a total of 1,625 persons receiving their second booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines on the first day alone .
Moreno said the inoculation of the second booster is being conducted in the six public hospitals of the six districts of Manila, namely the Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center, Ospital ng Tondo, Justice Jose Abad Santos General Hospital, Ospital ng Sampaloc, Ospital ng Maynila, and Sta. Ana Hospital.
Other vaccination sites were four shopping malls namely Robinsons Place Manila, SM City San Lazaro, SM City Manila, and Lucky Chinatown Mall.
Pangan reported that the MHD is also conducting the inoculation of the second booster shots in the 44 health centers located in the six districts of Manila, as well as conducting this through home vaccinations.
Included in the immunocompromised individuals are the following: Immunodeficiency State, HIV, Active Cancer or Malignancy, Transplant Recipients, Undergoing Steroid Treatment, patients with poor prognosis/bedridden patients, and other conditions of immunodeficiency as certified by the physician.
For categories A1 (healthcare workers) and A2 (senior citizens) COVID-19 vaccine brands used were Pfizer and Moderna.
For A3 category (immunocompromised persons), all COVID-19 vaccine brands available were used, depending on whether these are homologous or heterologous vaccines.
The interval for A1 and A2 categories is four months after the first booster shot was inoculated while for the immunocompromised, three months interval after the first booster shot was given.
For those planning to have booster shots in Manila, the MHD advised those included in these categories to bring the following documents: Vaccination ID indicating its two initial doses of inoculation and one booster shot; Valid ID and Medical Certificate for the Immunocompromised.
The MHD is encouraging the public included in the categories to go to the nearest vaccination sites in their respective residences, and have their second booster shots. (Baby Cuevas)
