The vaccination of healthcare workers in Parañaque City is almost complete with 95 percent of the total 3,800 medical frontliners already inoculated, Mayor Edwin Olivarez said.
"Mabilis po yung aming inoculation…mabilis po yung aming vaccination program. We do it in all parts of the City of Parañaque including the private and the public," Olivarez said in an interview with ANC. He added that vaccination started two weeks ago.
He made the statement following news of the vaccination of actor Mark Anthony Fernandez which was criticized on social media. Government officials were also criticized for skipping the priority list for the vaccines.
Dr. Olga Virtusio, Head of the City Health Office (CHO) of Parañaque City, said that Fernandez, like any other Parañaque resident, passed through the regular procedure such as applying and registering to be vaccinated.
"During the screening, he passed the screening because he has a comorbidity, he's a hypertensive individual," Virtusio said in a phone call.
She added that Fernandez falls under A3 on the vaccine priority list which are persons with comorbidities.
Olivarez maintained that they did not violate any guideline from the Department of Health (DOH) because they were told to make use of the second jab of AstraZeneca vaccines on those next on the priority list which are senior citizens and those with comorbidities.
"Sinabi po nila (DOH) gamitin na po natin para mas marami tayo mainoculate (We were told by DOH that we could make use of the second jab so that we could vaccinate more residents)," the mayor said.