Quezon City is now vaccinating medical frontline workers of several hospitals following the arrival of CoronaVac doses from China on Sunday.
According to Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, medical frontliners at the Quezon City General Hospital were initially hesitant to receive the vaccine because it is developed by China’s Sinovac. However, the atmosphere changed when town hall meetings were conducted with almost a hundred healthcare workers willing to take the shot.
“Marami po ang na-convince also just like me. Okay naman ang Sinovac (Many were convinced just like me. Sinovac is okay),” QCGH Hospital Director Dr. Josephine Sabando admitted.
East Avenue Medical Center which is now on its second day of vaccination was visited by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III who administered the vaccine to Dr. Alfonso Nuῆez, the officer-in-charge of the facility. Almost 160 medical personnel were included in the vaccination list which Sec. Duque said may still increase.
Meanwhile, Sec. Duque vowed to investigate reports of politicians and judges who were allegedly vaccinated despite their non-inclusion in the priority list. “Of course may violation sa prioritization guidelines natin (Of course there is violation in the prioritization guidelines) …In terms of the most exposed the highest risk, both sectoral and geographic,” the health secretary pointed out.
Around 3.4 million doses of vaccines are required to cover medical frontliners. 600,000 have just arrived over the weekend. – Report from Cleizl Pardilla
