The Mandaluyong City local government started opening on Wednesday, Dec. 15, all of its vaccination sites as the national government launched the second leg of the nationwide vaccination drive amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the threat of the Omicron and Delta variants.
The nationwide vaccination drive will last until Friday, Dec. 17, as the government targets to fully inoculate 54 million Filipinos by the end of the year, lower than the original plan of vaccinating 77 million people or 70 percent of the 110 million total population.
Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos encouraged everyone, especially those who have not received any COVID-19 shots yet, to get inoculated.
"Cases in the city have gone down since we've vaccinated more than half of the city's population and non-residents working here. It's proof that the vaccines are working to prevent severe cases," Abalos said.
The vaccination sites that will operate are Red Carpet Cinema (Shangri-La Mall), SM Megamall Cinema 7 & 8 and Megatrade Hall, Starmall EDSA-Shaw, Robinsons Forum, Andres Bonifacio Integrated School (ABIS), Jose Rizal University (JRU), Pedro P Cruz Elementary School (PPCES), Addition Hills Integrated School (AHIS), and Rizal Technological University (RTU).
During the three-day nationwide vaccination drive, all the vaccination sites in the city will continue to deploy first and second vaccine doses for adult and pediatric population, and booster shots for individuals who received their 2nd dose at least six months ago.
The local government said that to avoid people from crowding the vaccination sites, those who are to receive their 2nd dose and booster shots are advised to follow the vaccination schedule given to them.
The public may register in the city's vaccination program MANDAVAX by contacting the following numbers: 0917-17-MANDA (62632), 0917-18-MANDA (62632), 0917-67-MANDA (62632), 0968-609-5405, 0915-497-2946, 0919-524-5715, or 8532-5001 loc 471-480.
Mandaluyong City has deployed a total of 1,021,516 COVID-19 vaccines as of Dec. 14. In this number, 520,268 residents have received their first dose, while 489,483 have been fully vaccinated.