AFTER finishing the vaccination of A1 priorities or medical and other health frontliners, the City government of San Fernando started on Tuesday, April 20, the inoculation of senior citizens under the A2 group with the first of two doses of Sinovac to protect them from the surging Covid-19 cases in the city.
The City Health Office led the vaccination that targets to inoculate 1,733 senior citizens until Thursday, April 22, 2021.
The local government unit targets to inoculate 600 senior citizens or adults aged 60 and above daily, to disperse the available 1,700 vaccines from the Department of Health in three consecutive days.
“May first dose po ang mga senior citizens natin ngayon and then after 28 days, ‘dun naman po natin sila bibigyan ng second dose. Ibibigay po natin yung mga TeleMedicine hotlines natin para sakaling may 'maramdaman' po sila pag-uwi, doon sila agad tumawag at kung kinakailangan po talagang matingnan ng doctor o nurse agad po natin silang mapupuntahan at ia-advice kung ano ang kanilang gagawin,” said City Expanded Program on Immunization Manager Dr. Iris Muñoz.
(Our senior citizens got their first dose today and will get the second shot after 28 days. We will give them our TeleMedicine hotlines which they could call so a doctor or nurse could visit or check on them and get advice in case they will feel "something" when they get home.)
All registered senior citizens underwent screening and counseling before vaccination to ensure their safety, then monitored in case allergies or adverse reactions developed due to the jabs.
Senior citizens with comorbidities are also qualified to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, while those who have immuno-compromised conditions should present a medical certificate from their private doctors before vaccination.
Meanwhile, the local government discouraged walk-ins for senior citizens as the inoculation was based on the masterlist.
“As much as possible po iniiwasan po natin ang walk-in para ma-implement po natin yung mga minimum health standard. Mayroon po tayong system sa pagre-register ito po yung sa QR Code at para naman po sa mga walang access sa internet maaari po sila magpa-masterlist sa kanilang barangay. After po nung ating masterlisting, ico-collate po natin ito at hahatiin po natin sa dalawa ang pagtawag. Kalahati po para sa mga sumagot sa manual form at kalahati po para naman sa mga sumagot sa QR Code at saka na po natin sila isasama sa schedule,” said Muñoz.
(As much as possible, we discourage walk-ins so we could implement minimum health standards. We have a system for registration using a QR code. For those without access to the internet, they could have themselves included in the masterlist in their barangays. After the masterlistling, we will collate everything and divide them into two groups, one for those who filled up the forms and those who replied via the QR code, and the call them up for their schedules.)
The local government assured that all senior citizens who underwent pre-registration will be vaccinated.
“May bakuna po tayo for the senior citizens. Naka-master list naman po kayo. Ang pinapakiusap lang po namin dito sa City Health Office po na hintayin po nila yung kanilang schedule. Hintayin po natin na may tumawag or mag-text sa atin bago po pumunta dito,” Muñoz added.
(We have vaccines for senior citizens who are all in the masterlist. Just please wait for the call or text message from the City Health Office before going to the vaccination center.)
Those who have not yet registered may visit the official Facebook page of the City Information Office to get an access for the QR Code. Forms for manual registration are also available in barangay health centers. (JTD/With City of San Fernando Information Office)