UP-PGH personnel ready to get vaccine jabs; over 5,000 hospital staff to be inoculated
By NTF Against COVID-19
MANILA, Feb. 11 — Medical personnel of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) are ready to get their COVID-19 vaccine shots.
In a virtual presser on Thursday, UP-PGH medical director, Dr. Gerardo “Gap” Legaspi said that 4,805 hospital staff have given their written consent to be immunized as of February 11.
“We expect around 5,400 vaccinees. But with the leeway of 20%, just in case there is non-appearance,” Legaspi said.
The hospital, he said, has already set up a pre-registration system for employees who want to get vaccinated. So far, around 1,143 individuals have yet to sign in.
Legaspi said that he and his colleagues are confident that the vaccines to be administered to them are safe and effective.
“Maliwanag po naming sinabi sa aming mga empleyado, sa isang sulat na nilabas ko noong January 18, na kapag ang bakuna po ay inapprove ng FDA (Food and Drug Administration), we will consider it safe and optimum, and whatever it is, we will have ourselves vaccinated,” Legaspi said.
UP-PGH is among the COVID-19 hospitals that have been identified by the national government to receive the first batch of vaccines which are expected to arrive in the country within the month.
Other COVID-19 referral hospitals that will be prioritized are the Lung Center of the Philippines, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, and Southern Philippines Medical Center.
Meanwhile, National Task Force against COVID1-9 Deputy Chief Implementer Vince Dizon noted that local government units in Metro Manila are ready for the arrival of the vaccines based on the recent assessments made by task force officials of these areas.
“Sa aming pananaw, reding-redi na po ang mga local government units sa National Capital Region na simulan ang rollout ng ating bakuna. Nagpakita po sila ng galing sa pagpaplano, at ang mga preparasyon po nila, sa aming pananaw, ay napaka-epektibo sa mabilis na rollout ng ating bakuna,” Dizon said.
Repor)ting on behalf of vaccine czar, Sec. Carlito G. Galvez, Jr, the deputy chief implementer gave the assurance that the implementation of the vaccine deployment plan is on track.
“Itong ating first 117,000 Pfizer vaccines, nagkaroon lang po ng kaunting delays dahil sa processing ng dokumento with the COVAX facility and the WHO (World Health Organization). Pero kampante po tayo na dadating ito sa mga susunod na linggo, within the month of February,” Dizon said.
“Sa third quarter po, ito na po ay magiging full rollout, kasama ng COVAX allocation, pati na rin po ang major deliveries galing sa national government, pati na rin po ‘yung inorder ng ating private sector partners at LGUs natin,” Dizon added. (NTF Against COVID-19)
