Antipolo frontliner vax outlook remains positive after COVID-19 jab

by Patricia Bermudez March 8, 2021 Antipolo frontliner. (Photo from PIA) ...

by Patricia Bermudez
March 8, 2021

Antipolo frontliner. (Photo from PIA)

ANTIPOLO CITY, Rizal - Medical frontliners in the province are optimistic that the COVID-19 vaccination program will bring the country one step closer to recovering from the pandemic.

Around 279 frontliners in this city lined up to receive their CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccines during the Symbolic inoculation held at the Antipolo City Hospital System Annex IV last March 4.



The ceremonial vaccination was led by COVID-19 Deputy Chief implementor and testing czar, Secretary Vivencio Dizon, Department of Health Assistance Secretary Maria Francia Laxamana, Department of Health CALABARZON Regional Director Eduardo Janairo, Department of Interior and Local Government Assistant Secretary for Peace and Order Manuel Felix, Metro Manila Development Authority General Manager Jojo Garcia and former Antipolo City Mayor Jun Ynares.

Ynares, who is also a physician, administered the very first vaccine in the city to City Health Officer Dr. Concepcion Lat as a sign of the local government’s support in the national vaccination program.



“Sana ang pagbo-volunteer ng aming mga frontliner ay maging inspirasyon at assurance sa ating mga kababayan na magtiwala sa mga polisiya at programa ng ating pamahalaan,” Ynares said, who also pledged his willingness to be inoculated should there be excess supply of vaccines in the national stockpile.

[I hope that our frontliners who volunteered will be an inspiration and assurance to our fellowmen to trust the policies and programs of the government.]



As of March 3, around 500 local health workers have expressed their willingness to join the vaccination program, which comprises around 42% of all health workers in the province.

Given the high vaccine acceptance rate among local health workers, Ynares is sure that more medical practitioners will sign up for the vaccination program within the next few days.

There are a total of 1,200 health workers in the province’s public hospitals.

“Secretary [Vince] Dizon assured us na may darating, enough for everyone. Pero kung ano ang darating at kailan, wala sa kamay ng pamahalaan ‘yan.” the former local chief executive explained.

[Secretary [Vince] Dizon assured us that the vaccines will be enough for everyone. As to which [vaccine brand] arrives and when, is not up to the government.]

Meanwhile, COVID-19 testing czar Vince Dizon assured the public that the vaccine brands that will reach Philippine soil will be very helpful.

“It can only make things better as the vaccines arrive. Habang dumadaan ang mga araw, dumarami ang mga nagpapalista sa pagbabakuna dahil tumataas ang kumpiyansa dahil sa tamang impormasyon na nakukuha ng publiko na mula sa mga eksperto,” Dizon said.

[It can only make things better as the vaccines arrive. As the days pass, more people are signing up for the vaccination program due to the rising confidence because of the correct information which the public gets from the experts.]

A total of 7,190 Sinovac vaccines were allocated to medical frontliners in the region’s 13 hospitals.

It includes Rizal Provincial Hospital System – Antipolo Annex II (280 allocated vaccines), Batangas Medical Center (1,011 vaccines), Batangas Provincial Hospital (184 vaccines), Ospital ng Lipa (229 vaccines), General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital (900 vaccines), Ospital ng Imus (294 vaccines), De La Salle University Medical Center (1,529), Laguna Provincial Hospital and San Pablo District Hospital (334), Laguna Medical Center (415), Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial District Hospital (318), Quezon Medical Center (1,461), Maria L. Eleazar General Hospital (71) and Claro M. Recto Memorial District Hospital (154).

Rizal was chosen to become the first province outside Metro Manila to host the simulations due to the willingness of its constituents--especially its doctors and nurses-- to get vaccinated against the disease.

Dizon explains, “Napaka-importante ng mga probinsya tulad ng Rizal, at iba pang malalapit sa Metro Manila dahil ang epicenter ng COVID-19 ay nasa Greater Metro Manila area kung titingnan natin ang active at total cases and active natin,”

Its close proximity to Metro Manila also makes Rizal a key player in the national economy, supplying a sizable amount of workers in the National Capital Region (NCR). (PB)