Iloilo City tightens vax procedure

The Iloilo City government imposed tighter protocols among the vaccination sites amid reports of fake vaccination tickets and long queues.

Mayor Jerry Treñas ordered personnel of lloilo City Police Office (ICPO) and Public Safety and Transportation Management Office (PSTMO) to strictly secure the entrance to all the vax centers to ensure smooth inoculation process and prevent the use of fake or tampered tickets.

“We have put in place measures to ensure that there will be no fake vax tickets. PNP and PSTMO personnel will be posted at the entrance of all vax centers to ensure that only persons with genuine vax tickets will be allowed entry,” Treñas said in a statement on Thursday, July 29, 2021.

The mayor also warned that persons who will attempt and will use fake vax tickets will be immediately arrested and appropriate criminal and administrative charges will be filed against them.

“Ginpaimbestigar na naton, may mga nakit-an kita nga fake vaccine tickets. Subong may pulis kita kag PSTMO, kon madakpan ka iarestuhon ka dayon, kag kon ang madakpan member of the government, we will file criminal and administrative tickets,” he added.

As of July 28, 2021, a total of 142,744 Ilonggos have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines, which is equivalent to 27.19% of the target population of 450,000, while 84,528 have been fully vaccinated equivalent to 16.10%.

Meanwhile, Treñas also appealed to residents to remain at home while waiting for their vaccination schedule. Those who have yet to be vaccinated can register with their barangays or vax centers following the detection of the first case of Delta variant in Iloilo City.

“Stay home if you can and get vaccinated if it’s your turn. With the presence of the Delta variant in region 6 and difficulties in the health care system, low rate of vaccinations, and the long turnaround time of genome sequencing, I am requesting everyone to stay at home. Let us use this ECQ period to lower the transmissions,” he said. (ERS)