THE COVID-19 vaccines ordered by the city government of Manila will arrive in March at the earliest and in September at the latest.
This was bared by Mayor Isko Moreno, who said that he and Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna are preparing for the worst case scenario while doing everything possible to keep the number of coronavirus cases at bay while the city awaits the arrival of the vaccines.
“The worst case scenario is when the vaccines arrive in September yet. The good case is when they arrive in June and the best scenario is if the vaccines arrive in March. So we prepare for the worst. Between January and September, what do we do? Keep the numbers at bay while we await the vaccine,” Moreno said.
Currently, Moreno said the occupancy rate of the allotment for COVID-19 in the city’s six hospitals is at 21 percent which is relatively low.
“Tulungan ninyo kami na mapanatiling mababa ang rate,” Moreno said as he encouraged those who feel they may have been exposed to the virus or are exhibiting symptoms to avail of the free swab testing being done by the city.
The free swab testing in the city, he said, is also open to non-Manilans, as Moreno stressed that the pandemic is a universal problem that should be approached inclusively.
Moreno said the swab tests are being offered via drive-thru and in the city hospitals, the results of which are made available in a matter of 24 hours.
Aside from getting peace of mind, those who avail of the free swab tests can also use the certification being issued by the city for various purposes like returning to work or getting a new job.
