Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez on Wednesday said the reason they were not able to control the number of people who lined up for inoculation of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is due to the excitement of residents to be vaccinated by the US brand.

In a TV interview, Olivarez said this did not only happen in his city.

“It has happened in other cities. The people became excited when they found that Pfizer is the brand that will be used for the vaccination,” he said.

Olivarez said two months since the vaccination program started it is the first time they experienced long lines of people waiting for inoculated.

He added that residents who are scheduled to be inoculated will receive text messages about their vaccination.

Olivarez said to prevent this incident from happening, walk-ins will not be allowed even in their mega vaccination centers.

“We earlier said that the best brand of vaccine is what is available… We will thoroughly implement the schedules of our vaccination center… So that there will be no gathering,” he said.

Upon knowing that Pfizer is the vaccine brand for May 17 inoculation, hundreds of residents, including senior citizens, attempted to be vaccinated at a mall even if they were not scheduled to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Because of this incident, the Department of Health (DOH) said there will no longer be prior announcement as to the anti-COVID-19 vaccine that will be used in various vaccination centers. Ella Dionisio/DMS