QC health dept denies police cut lines at vax site

The Quezon City health department has denied allegations that police officers cut the line at a vaccination site, stating there was no preferential treatment given.

Dr. Esperanza Arias, head of the city's health department, explained that separate lines were established for medical frontliners and other frontliners, including the police.

A temporary issue with the electronic registration system caused some police personnel to be delayed, leading them to be moved to a separate area for manual registration to avoid obstructing the flow.

The clarification was issued in response to a claim made by Bantay Bakuna, a vaccine watchdog, on Facebook.

Bantay Bakuna had alleged that around 30 police personnel bypassed the queue of healthcare workers at the Emilio Aguinaldo Elementary School vaccination site.

Arias further clarified that the police officers present were on the priority list for vaccination due to their roles in contact tracing, swabbing, and assisting in quarantine and isolation facilities, as well as lockdown areas.