AS THE mass Covid-19 vaccination approaches, officials of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) admitted that some of their workers are having reservations about getting the Covid-19 vaccine due to various reasons.
SPMC officer-in-charge Dr. Ricardo Audan said in a press conference right after the Covid-19 vaccination simulation exercise on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, that only 62 percent or an estimated 3,200 out of the 5,000 SPMC workers, both medical and non-medical frontliners, have signed up for the pre-vaccination registration.
He added that these numbers might even decrease during the vaccination day, although he assumes that these workers were willing to “volunteer” to get vaccinated as they gave their consent in the registration conducted online.
“However, on that day, baka mag-change siya kaya may (that figure would change that’s why we conducted) registration, counseling and screening for that,” Audan said.
SPMC Vaccination Committee Chairperson Dr. Pamela Ferrer said not all those who registered will be qualified to be vaccinated on that day.
Ferrer said they will be conducting a pre-vaccination screening to determine if the employee is fit to get the vaccine. Among the considerations is the physical and emotional aspect of those who will get the vaccine.
“On the day of vaccination, didtoa pa nato mahibaw-an kasi [through] screening if eligible sila (we would then know, through screening, who will be eligible) for the vaccination on the day. Kasi baka may sakit sila,” she said.
She also assumed that those who registered are willing to get the vaccine.
“We assume that if you register for the master list, you are willing to be vaccinated because part of the registration is naa kay (that you will be giving) final consent for the vaccination on the day of the vaccine. It’s already a willingness yung (coming from) 3,200 plus employees,” Ferrer said.
Among the factors Audan cited is the “Dengvaxia scare,” which affected some of the workers’ trust and confidence towards the vaccine. The Dengvaxia of Sanofi Pasteur became an issue in 2017 after some recipients of the vaccine, mostly children, had allegedly suffered adverse effects.
Audan admitted they cannot compel their employees to get vaccinated, but he emphasized that their willingness is important.
“Of course we cannot force them. We are always informing them that this is not mandatory because right nila (that is their right). But we are encouraging them to have the vaccination,” the SPMC chief said.
SPMC workers will be the pilot beneficiaries of the initial rollout of vaccines coming from the national government.
During the press conference, Department of Health-Davao Region (DOH-Davao) revealed that they still do not know what Covid-19 vaccine Davao City will be receiving and that they are still awaiting the national government’s confirmation.
She said based on information they received, vaccines are set to arrive in the country on February 12, which will most likely arrive in the city on the same day.
Audan said they still have to conduct a separate simulation exercise for the vaccination rollout in the hospital.
Ferrer said they will conduct the vaccination in batches to avoid overcrowding and to ensure that operations of the hospital won’t be affected.
In a previous SunStar Davao report, Davao Medical Society (DMS) president Dr. Jose Beltran Jr. said some medical practitioners are having reservations about getting the Covid-19 vaccine due to various reasons.
He said this was the sentiment of some of their members who are from different medical fields and specializations.
Some of its members said they do not want to be inoculated with Covid-19 vaccines coming from China, India and Russia.
“Kung dili kuno gikan sa US (United States) or Europe, dili sila magpaturok (If the vaccines will not be coming from the US or Europe, they won’t be vaccinated),” Beltran said.
He explained that they are critical about the efficacy rate of the vaccines coming from these countries.
