City opens drive-thru site for COVID booster shots

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

The Iloilo City government kicked off its drive-thru vaccination for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) booster shots on Monday, Jan 31, 2022, in two major sites in Mandurriao district.

The first drive-thru site at the SM Strata building along Diversion Road administers Pfizer booster shots for city residents, non-resident workers, and those who were vaccinated in the city.

Moderna shots are given at the Megaworld Iloilo Business Park drive-thru site for residents and non-residents.

In a press release, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas thanked the management groups of both sites for their support to the city government’s COVID vaccination drive.

“In order to serve our constituents better, we have two drive-thru vaccination sites for boosters: SM Strata and Megaworld. We hope that more will be encouraged to get boosters from these sites. I am thankful to the management of both companies for their support to us to boost our vaccination campaign,” the mayor said in his statement.

Other sites which have been conducting regular COVID vaccination for the first dose, second dose and booster shots include the SM City Southpoint, Robinsons Place Jaro, Megaworld Transport Hub, and local district health centers.

City government data as of Jan 20 indicated that 435,510 persons have been fully vaccinated, including 392,977 adults (18 years old and above), and 42,533 minors (12-17). Of these figures, 122,190 residents and non-residents already received their booster shots.

COVID booster shots can be availed at least three months after getting the second dose of AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, Sinovac or Sputnik vaccines, and two months after the single-dose Janssen vaccine.