The city government resumed on Tuesday the inoculation against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) of eligible senior citizens and other priority individuals after receiving additional 3,733 doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac.

Dr. April Mae Maquilang, immunization coordinator of the City Health Office (CHO), said the vaccines came from the Department of Health-Region 12 to continue with the vaccination rollout.

She said the doses were delivered before noon Monday to their main cold chain facility situated at the city gymnasium in Barangay Lagao.

Maquilang said the 1,080 vials or doses were intended for the second batch of senior citizens from the city’s 26 barangays, who will be inoculated within three days or until May 7.

She added some 1,297 vials were set aside for the second dose of the initial batch of senior citizens vaccinated two weeks ago.

An additional 1,308 doses were allotted for the remaining frontline health care workers and 48 for the Muslim residents who will be joining the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

“This is a continuing process and we’re expecting the delivery of more vaccine supplies in the coming days,” Maquilang told reporters.

She said the acceptance rate for the vaccine among senior citizens in the city has been increasing since it was first rolled out last April 19.

The eligible senior citizens included in the master list are now at 29,383 from 28,119 in the second week of April.

Maquilang said the registration for the sector, which is under the A2 category, is still ongoing through the city Trace and Protect Action Team or Tapat system.

The second batch of recipients will be vaccinated in their respective rural health units except for those from Barangay San Isidro whose vaccination site will be at the SM City Mall here.

The CHO will hold the supplies for the second dose or booster shot of the initial batch until next week as they need to complete the required 28-day interval. (PNA)