PRC ready to assist gov't in COVID-19 vaccination, Gordon says

The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is ready to assist the government in its vaccination program against COVID-19, which officially started on Monday, according to its chairman Senator Richard Gordon.

During the Laging Handa public briefing, Gordon said although Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has not formally tapped the PRC for assistance, they are ready to lend a hand if needed.

"Right now, hands on kami sa pagbabakuna sa measles at sa polio. So for us to vaccinate dito sa COVID, handa kaming tumulong. We're doing that all over the world, by the way," he said.

According to Gordon, the PRC currently has three buses available that could be used as mobile vaccine clinics.

"So far we have about three buses na pupunta roon. Kung minsan, napakalaki ng buses, hindi makapasok sa looban," he said.

"So I suggest, we just bring the vaccines to a certain area in a barangay para sa ganun lahat ng magpapabakuna pupunta na lang doon. Hindi naman kailangan dalhin sa doorstep ng tao yung vaccine, pero kung maluwag ang lugar nila, dadalhin namin yan," he added.

Aside from buses, the PRC also has refrigerators and freezers which could serve as storage facilities for the COVID-19 vaccines.

A total of 600,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from China's Sinovac Biotech were delivered to the Philippines on Sunday, allowing the government to start its vaccination program the following day.

Philippine General Hospital (PGH) director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi became the Philippines' first official recipient of a vaccine against COVID-19 on Monday morning.

One hundred PGH personnel are expected to receive the coronavirus vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac before the day ends, said Legaspi.

Government officials like Food and Drug Administration director general Eric Domingo, testing czar Vince Dizon, and vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr also received Sinovac shots during the day.

The Philippines targets to inoculate 50 to 70 million individuals within the year. —KBK, GMA News