Over 16,000 senior residents of Quezon City have been given free anti-pneumonia and flu vaccines by the local government from January to August 2020.
Data from the Quezon City government showed that a total of 9,250 senior citizens received free pneumococcal shots while 7,690 others were given flu vaccines.
Senior citizens who continue to work to support their families are prioritized in the provision of free vaccines.
Health experts have been encouraging the public to get the said vaccines as they prevent the development of symptoms similar to those of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, body aches, fatigue, and sore throat.
“Ginagawa natin ito para mas maprotektahan ang ating mga lolo at lola sa banta ng COVID-19 (We are doing this to better protect our grandfathers and grandmothers from the threat of the coronavirus disease-2019)," said Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte in a statement released Sunday (Oct. 4).
"Naiintindihan naman natin na minsan ay hindi talaga maiiwasan na hindi sila lumabas sa kani-kanilang bahay lalo na yung naghahanapbuhay pa at inaasahan ng kanilang pamilya (We understand that sometimes they really cannot avoid going out of their respective houses, especially when they are earning a living and have families depending on them),” she added.
Aside from the free vaccines, the city government has also been giving each senior citizen two washable face masks.
Over 300,000 elderly residents of the city benefitted from the city government's financial assistance for the vulnerable sector dubbed “Kalingang QC.”
On Elderly Filipino Week, that is celebrated on the first week of October, senior citizens in the city will get free eye screening services and webinars.
More details will be posted on the Office for the Senior Citizens Affairs of Quezon City Facebook account.