The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is ready to mobilize its 103 chapters nationwide to vaccinate Filipinos against COVID-19, significantly increasing the national government’s latest 7-day average of 67,780 vaccinated individuals, PRC Chairman and CEO Sen. Richard Gordon announced Thursday.
“The government really has to intensify its immunization efforts, also because 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca are set to expire next month. We might lose a lot of vaccines and leave a lot of Filipinos still unprotected from the virus,” Gordon said.
“The Philippine Red Cross is willing and ready to help the government to reinforce our defense against the virus by vaccinating our people,” Gordon added. “Especially with the looming typhoon season, we need to make hay while the sun shines and reach the most vulnerable even in geographically isolated areas.”
To expand its vaccination services, PRC is planning to establish at least three PRC Bakuna Centers per chapter nationwide with a manpower complement of 3,300 trained volunteer doctors, nurses, and staff to administer the vaccine to frontline healthcare workers, senior citizens, persons with co-morbidities, and economic frontline workers, according to the Health Department’s guidelines.
PRC is negotiating for its own supply of vaccines and offers vaccine administration services to private groups.
“The Red Cross has the manpower, the resources, and the compassion to reach out to our people and prevent them from getting sick. We will continue to work with the national government and restarting our economy can begin in earnest,” Gordon said.
(Press Release)
