Pateros Mayor Miguel “Ike” Ponce III has announced that the municipal government has received 800 doses of Johnson & Johnson’s single dose Janssen COVID-19 vaccine from the national government.
He said the vaccines will be used solely for senior citizens starting Thursday in three vaccination sites. The vaccination using the Janssen brand will be open for walk-in senior citizens in the municipality.
“To senior citizens who are in their homes and do not want to get vaccinated yet, or waiting for a better brand, this is a good brand. I encourage you (to get vaccinated),” said Ponce.
Senior citizens in Pateros can get the single dose vaccine at Pateros Catholic School-Annex, Villa Monica clubhouse, and AMC Gym.
The 800 doses allotted to Pateros are part of the 3.2 million doses of Janssen vaccine received by the Philippines from the US government through the COVAX Facility, an alliance aiming to ensure access of developing countries to COVID-19 vaccines.
As of July 21, the Pateros municipal government has vaccinated 38,864 individuals with the first dose or 78.85 percent of its target population of 49,000. In addition, 21,545 individuals are now fully vaccinated after getting their second dose or 43.97 percent of the target.
Pateros has an estimated total population of 70,000 and is the smallest local government unit (LGU) in the National Capital Region.
Ponce said one of the problems the Pateros vaccination program is facing is the scheduling of people.
He said many of those who are sent vaccination schedules via text message do not confirm, saying, “Some of those who do not confirm appear (at the vaccination site) while others who confirm do not show up.”
The mayor said this is the reason why the municipal government allows walk-ins in order not to waste the vaccines and the time of the vaccination team.
As of July 21, Ponce said the municipal government only has 578 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine that will be used for the first dose.
After the Sputnik V and Janssen vaccines are used up, Pateros will temporarily stop the first dose vaccination until a new supply arrives from the national government.