Pateros Mayor Miguel “Ike” Ponce III said the municipal government has temporarily shut down a vaccination site after health workers tested positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In a live broadcast on Facebook Monday, Ponce said only two vaccination sites are open and the site at Villa Monica clubhouse is closed.
“I apologize to those who find it hard to get their second dose because only two vaccination centers are open right now because we shut down Villa Monica as this does not actually have health workers because some of them tested positive and others are close contacts,” the mayor said.
The lack of health workers, he said, is the reason why the municipal government suspended the first dose vaccination.
Despite these challenges, Ponce said Pateros has surpassed 100 percent of the target population of 56,000 for the first dose and achieved 70 percent, or about 39,200 individuals, for the second dose.
The Pateros municipal government increased its target population from 70 percent, or 49,000, to 80 percent, or 56,000, out of the estimated total of 70,000.
Amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Pateros, he said, it was observed that among the vaccinated who tested positive, there is almost no critical case or death.
He said 98 percent of the vaccinated who got COVID-19 are asymptomatic or experienced mild symptoms.
Ponce said Pateros currently has more than 400 active COVID-19 cases. Because of this, the municipal government will implement granular lockdowns to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.
“Our granular lockdowns will be very strict because we will restrict the movement of people and we will close non-essential businesses in said areas,” he said.
The Department of Health (DOH) reported that Pateros has seven Delta variant cases and is classified a high risk area due to COVID-19 cases.