Makati appeals for understanding after viral clip of improper COVID-19 vaccination

The Makati government on Monday appealed for "understanding from the public" after a viral video showed a case of breach in COVID-19 vaccination protocols in the city. 

The clip shows a volunteer nurse plunging the needle of syringe containing a COVID-19 shot into the arm of a woman. The nurse, however, failed pressing the plunger that would have released the syringe's content. 

"We acknowledge the video. It was human error on the part of the volunteer nurse... that was immediately corrected," said Makati Mayor Abigail Binay. 

The incident happened on June 25. The day after, the nurse contacted the city government about the error, and the intended recipient got her COVID-19 vaccine, the mayor said in a press briefing. 

"We simply ask for understanding from the public... Maawa naman po kayo sa nurse na nagkusang loob na nag-volunteer ng kaniyang oras para lang po magsilbi sa ating mga kababayan. Tao lang po ang ating frontliners, napapagod, nagkakamali," Binay said. 

(Take pity on the nurse who volunteered her time to serve our compatriots. Our frontliners are only human, they get tired, they make mistakes. )

"Ang mahalaga po na itinama namin agad at humihingi po siya at kami ng patawad. Nagbibigay rin po kami ng assurance na hindi na po ito mangyayari muli," she added. 

(What is important is we immediately corrected this, and the nurse, we apologize. We are giving an assurance that this will not happen again.)

Malacañang spokesman Harry Roque said the case was an "isolated" one "on the part of an overworked... volunteer frontliner."

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