Dagupan City secures 40,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses

Dagupan City has secured an initial allocation of 40,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from AstraZeneca, pending FDA approval.

Mayor Marc Brian Lim stated that the priority groups for vaccination are front-liners and senior citizens, with the ultimate goal of vaccinating all residents.

The city government has allocated funds for additional vaccine doses to cover its estimated population of 160,000.

The City Health Office is preparing vaccination teams and training, and a digital passport for vaccinated individuals is being planned.

A tripartite agreement for the vaccine purchase was signed on January 8, following the city's expressed intent to buy vaccines once approved by the FDA.

The provincial government of Pangasinan is also preparing to allot funds for vaccines and is awaiting national guidelines, aiming for vaccinations to begin in the first quarter of the year.

As of January 10, Dagupan City had 203 active COVID-19 cases.