DAVAO CITY Feb. 23 (PIA) - An initial number of 7,500 individuals will be vaccinated in the city following the roll out of the vaccination program by the national government.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio bared that the city is preparing to receive 15,000 doses that are good for 7,500 individuals coming from the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) and private hospitals which have personnel working in COVID-19 areas.

She explained that the city is following the priority list of the national government which covers the COVID-19 dedicated hospitals and COVID-19 referral hospitals, including private hospitals.

Duterte-Carpio explained that the priority groups have five levels where the first group is composed of 1A and 1B.

"The 7,500 individuals who will take the first vaccine roll out belong to Group 1A of the priority group to be vaccinated under the list of national government. The 500,000 estimated number of vaccinees belong to the priority list One to Five," she said.

Duterte-Carpio hoped that other shipments of vaccines will arrive as soon as the roll out starts.

She said there are talks that the vaccines that will first arrive to Davao City will be the Pfizer Biontech from the COVaX facility.

Duterte-Carpio also emphasized the need for coming up with reading material that will be read in the communities, in a manner that the information is comprehensive to everyone, explaining the pandemic, the vaccination and remedies to do after being vaccinated.

She said the information will continue to talk about adherence to health protocols until the health experts say that there is no more pandemic and everything will go back to normal. (PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)