National Task Force against COVID-19 (NTF) Deputy Chief Implementer and testing czar Vince Dizon on Friday said Ospital ng Makati (OsMak) will be one of the recipients of UK-based AstraZeneca vaccines.

During the kick-off vaccination roll out in Makati City, Dizon said OsMak will receive doses of AstraZeneca after they are one of the few hospitals who have more health workers expressing willingness to be vaccinated than the allotted supply to them.

“We are very proud that Makati is one of the few hospitals during our rollout that has higher demand than supply,” he said.

“Because of this, we are now announcing that OsMak will also receive doses from the newly-delivered AstraZeneca for our health workers,” he added.

Dizon reminded health workers that they have a choice on whether they want Sinovac or AstraZeneca vaccines.

“But it is better if we prioritize our senior health care workers for AstraZeneca,” he said.

Dizon said they are processing the allotment of AstraZeneca vaccine.

The Department of Health has allotted 300 doses of Sinovac vaccine to OsMak but according to Mayor Abby Binay, a total of 390 health workers signed up for their program.

OsMak Medical Director Vergel Binay was the first recipient of COVID-19 vaccine in the city.

As the city expects the arrival of their procured vaccine by the third quarter of this year, Binay assured that not only residents but also those who are working and taxpayers will be included in their vaccination program.

“There are companies, businesses who already expressed interest in listing their employees to get vaccinated so we will also have to make sure that we will cover them. Also our taxpayers who own land but are not residents in Makati,” she said.

Binay said her priority is the health workers and she is willing to wait for her turn to be vaccinated.

She appealed to the residents of Makati to trust the doctor and DOH and receive COVID-19 vaccine. Ella Dionisio/DMS