City has ample supply for Covid-19 vaccines — CHSO

Although less than last week’s amount due to residents getting their jabs, City Health Services Office (CHSO) head Dr. Rowena Galpo said the Summer Capital continues to enjoy an ample supply of Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines.

She disclosed during the regular management committee meeting of city officials led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong at City Hall, July 26,  that the city has a total supply of 78,736 vaccines with Pfizer for 12 years old and above at 39,276 doses.

The city government still has 25,340 doses of Astra Zeneca; Pfizer for 5-11 years old, 9,6500; Moderna, 1,220; and 3,250 doses of Sinovac, she disclosed.

As to the city’s Covid-19 variants of concern, by type, as of July 22, Galpo revealed that most cases (43 percent) are infected with Omicron; Delta, 32 percent; Alpha, 17 percent; and the Beta variant with eight percent of the total infections.

She also revealed that the World Health Organization (WHO), July 22, reported another emerging subvariant of Omicron, BA 2.75, and is now considered under monitoring. This was first detected in India in May this year and is now found in 15 countries.

WHO said it has nine additional mutations compared to BA 2, which has growth advantage over BA 1 and lower neutralizing antibodies. However, there is no evidence that it makes Covid worse compared to BA 4 and BA 5, Galpo said.      

The Mayor has earlier echoed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s call for the public to have their booster shots as an added layer of protection against the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. – Gaby B. Keith