The rollout of Sputnik V vaccines began in the city of Manila on Tuesday, starting with the healthcare workers.

The Russian jabs were delivered on Monday to the Sta. Ana Hospital, where the vaccination took place.

Manila Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan, also a medical doctor, said medical front-liners remained the priority in accordance with Department of Health (DOH) and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) guidelines.

“Gaya na rin po ng bilin ng ating alkade, Mayor Isko Moreno, susundin po namin ‘yung category na inilatag po satin ng IATF at ng DOH. So magsisimula po tayo sa medical front-liners, ‘yung mga A1 (As per the instruction of Mayor Isko Moreno, we will follow the category sent to us by the IATF and the DOH. So, we will start with the medical front-liners or those in the A1 category),” she said in an interview.

When done with the front-liners, the jabs will be given to the A2 (senior citizens) and A3 (with comorbidities) groups.

As of noon, 59 medical front-liners have received the Sputnik V jabs.

The front-liners either did not want the Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines previously offered or contracted Covid-19 and had to recover first.

“Dito sa Maynila, kapag meron po kaming paninda, bukas po ang aming mga tindahan para po kami magbakuna. Kami po dito sa Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Maynila ay gagawin ang lahat para po ang ating mga Batang Maynila ay mabakunahan the soonest possible time (Here in Manila, we are open whenever we have goods or vaccines available. We in the city government will do everything and will be prompt in vaccinating Manila residents the soonest possible time),” city health officer Dr. Arnold Pangan said.

Dr. Grace Padilla, Director of the Sta. Ana Hospital, said about 70 percent of their healthcare workers have been vaccinated.

“We kept on encouraging them na magpabakuna na sila because we are in a Covid-19 center, so ang risk namin ay mas mataas (to receive the vaccine because we are in a Covid-19 center and so our risk is higher) than other healthcare workers,” she said.

The rollout was witnessed by city administrator Felix Espiritu, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, DOH-National Capital Region Director Dr. Gloria Balboa, and DOH Assistant Secretary Elmer Punzalan.

As of Monday, 79,593 medical front-liners, senior citizens, and those with comorbidities have been vaccinated in Manila.

Out of the total, 25,341 have completed both doses. (PNA)