The city health office (CHO) has started accommodating Tuesday walk-in individuals who wish to be inoculated in all its vaccination centers here.

Dr. Dulce Amor Miravite, city health officer, said the move is to increase the number of people getting vaccinated daily.

“We started accepting walk-in individuals in our vaccination sites,” Miravite said.

She stressed though that vaccination of individuals according to priority groups who have pre-registered is still ongoing at the vaccination centers.

Maria Christine Lim, health education and promotion officer, said there are 24 active vaccination sites in health centers, shopping malls, schools, as well as government centers and private offices, across the city.

Miravite said they are also hiring additional vaccinators to augment the manpower at the vaccination sites.

Meanwhile, she noted that there are still some city residents who either refuse to get vaccinated or only prefer a specific vaccine brand.

“Most of those who do not want to be inoculated are afraid of the side effects,” she said.

Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said the city government aims to vaccinate 19,000 individuals daily to achieve mass population immunity soonest to ease restrictions.

Salazar said the city is eyeing to get 70 percent of the target eligible population of 694,696 vaccinated with a first dose by November 15, and 50 percent vaccinated with a second dose by December 25.

CHO data showed that 191,205 residents of this city have already been fully vaccinated. They represent 28 percent of the target eligible population.

A total of 291,269 residents, representing 42 percent of the eligible population, got their first dose of vaccines. (PNA)