Health protocols must continue after vaccination – mayors

MANILA, Philippines — Residents should continue complying with the minimum health protocols even after getting the COVID-19 vaccines, Metro Manila mayors said yesterday.

Speaking as guests at the Malacañang press briefing, Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco and Caloocan Mayor Oscar Malapitan both agreed that the vaccines serve as additional protection against the virus.

“The vaccine is not a replacement to health protocols such as wearing of face masks and physical distancing. It is an added protection,” Tiangco said.

Malapitan said that getting vaccinated should not serve as a free pass to flout quarantine protocols.

“It doesn’t mean that once you get vaccinated, you are 100 percent safe. Wearing of face masks should be required until COVID-19 is totally eliminated,” he said.

Malapitan said the city government targets to vaccinate 1.1 million residents.

City hall will be able to reach its target in a week’s time with 1,600 vaccinators, in two weeks with 800 vaccinators and in four weeks with 400 vaccinators, Malapitan added.

Caloocan hired 165 vaccinators who underwent training. Each one should vaccinate 100 people per day for seven days to meet the target.

The Navotas government aims to inoculate 100 residents per day in each of the 20 vaccination sites to reach the target of vaccinating 103,000 residents in 50 days, Tiangco said.

Tiangco also urged the Department of Health to issue a uniform COVID-19 “vaccine passport.”

He said it would cause confusion if each local government unit (LGU) would have its own vaccine passport format.

“If all LGUs will issue, we won’t know which ones are fake or genuine,” Tiangco said.