Quezon City, DOH launch booster drive in public markets

MANILA, Philippines — Over 500 vendors and residents living near a public market in Quezon City received primary and booster doses against COVID-19 during the setting-based vaccination initiated by the local government and the Department of Health (DOH) yesterday.

Mayor Joy Belmonte and DOH-Metro Manila Center for Health Development regional director Gloria Balboa led the launch of the PinasLakas vaccination drive at Commonwealth Market.

PinasLakas is DOH’s setting-based vaccination program that aims to encourage more Filipinos to get their primary and booster doses against COVID-19.

“Instead of asking them to go to the vaccination site, we decided to bring the vaccines directly to the market vendors so they would no longer need to leave their stalls and lose income for their families,” Belmonte said in Filipino.

Through the program, the city was also able to invite Muslim leaders to promote the importance of COVID-19 vaccines for those who are still hesitant in getting vaccinated.

QC Task Force Vax to Normal action officer Maria Lourdes Eleria said the city also started the week-long vaccination drives in various markets in the city.

“This is a way to make the vaccines more accessible to our residents,” she added.

Latest data showed that over 6.4 million doses of vaccines have already been administered in Quezon City since the start of the vaccination program. Some 2.5 million residents and workers are considered fully vaccinated.