IN RESPONSE to Governor Dennis Pineda's instruction to speed up the vaccination rollout, the local government of Candaba town, Pampanga opened four new vaccination sites in different areas of the town.
Mayor Rene Maglanque identified the new vaccination sites at the Candaba Trade Center, Bahay Pare High School, Mangga Elementary School, and Salapungan Municipal Extension Hall, which are in addition to the existing central vaccination center at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) here.
"Bilang pagtalima sa utos ni Governor Pineda na maglagay ng maraming vaccination sites sa mga munisipyo, ipinahanda ko ang mga government facilities sa mga strategic area ng Candaba para maging vaccination sites sakaling dumating ang mas maraming supply ng bakuna," Maglanque said.
As of Friday, the mayor said three of the five identified sites, namely, the DHVSU campus, Salapungan Municipal Extension Hall and Bahay Pare High School, were already operational.
DHVSU vaccination site caters to residents in the Poblacion area while Kapampangan region residents are inoculated at the Salapungan Municipal Extension Hall, and the Tagalog region residents at Barangay Pare High School.
"Sa pagbubukas natin ng mga bagong vaccination sites, mapapabilis natin ang rollout ng bakuna at mas pinapalapit natin sa mga Candabeños ang pagbabakuna. Hindi na nila kailangan magbyahe sa malayo at mas maipatutupad natin ang social distancing protocol," Maglanque said.
Aside from opening new vaccination sites, Maglanque said the local government hired three additional doctors to further boost the safe vaccination drive in town.
The said doctors, who were in addition to the existing three public physicians, are leading nurses, midwives and barangay health workers in safely inoculating every Candabeños against Covid-19, he said.
As of Thursday, there were nearly 10,000 Candabeños who already received the first and second doses of vaccines.
Maglanque said the local government is vaccinating up to 1,200 persons per day, depending on the availability of the vaccines.
If more supply of vaccines will be downloaded to the local government, Maglanque said they are ready to open a "drive-thru" vaccination facility, aside from the on-site inoculation currently being implemented.
"Alam ko na maraming gustong magpabakuna pero hindi mabigyan ng oras lalo na ng mga manggagawa natin dahil hindi maiwan ang kanilang mga trabaho kaya inihahanda namin ang drive-thru vaccination site sa ating Trade Center para sa mabilis ngunit ligtas na pagbabakuna," he said.
Once launched, the Candaba drive-thru vaccination site will be the first of its kind at least in Pampanga.
Maglanque urged all Candabeños to register themselves on the vaccination drive as the Municipal Health Office is starting to sort out the priority groups anew.
"Naghahanda na tayo sa mass vaccination, ibig sabihin kabilang lahat edad 18 pataas at maging iyong mga may comorbidities na may medical clearance mula sa kanilang mga doktor kaya hinihikayat natin sila na magparegister sa ating masterlist," he said.