A total of 404 healthcare workers received their first shots of Sinovac coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine during the first day of the country’s vaccination program against the viral disease, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Monday, March 1.

“Based on the current number that we have, about 404 individuals were vaccinated in different hospitals. Pero hindi pa po pumapasok yung ibang reports galing sa ibang hospital (but reports from other hospitals have  yet to come in),” said DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire during an interview over ABS-CBN Teleradyo.

Vergeire said that they were targeting to finish the initial phase of the vaccine rollout in two weeks. 

“We are looking at two weeks for us to be able to finish this initial rollout then titingnan po natin pakatapos ng dalawang linggo, yun pong matitirang bakuna ay ipapasok natin yung tinatawag na quick substitution list (then after that, the remaining vaccines will be given to those in our so-called quick substitution list),” she said. 

“All of the eligible now for this Sinovac vaccine napina-prioritize natin ay healthcare workers....Unahin muna po natin ang mga hospital kasi mas at risk po ang kanilang mga healthcare workers (For now, all eligible for this Sinovac vaccine--- we are prioritizing the healthcare workers.... Let's prioritize the hospitals first because their healthcare workers are at risk),” she added. 

Minor adverse reactions

Vergeire also reported that 13 people experienced “minor adverse events following immunization.” She said they experienced an increase in blood pressure, pain in the injection site, itching and rashes, as well as nausea. 

“Lahat po ito ay considered minor adverse events at ito po ay lahat na vinalidate natin at minage. Lahat po sila ngayon ay nakauwi na. Wala po tayong in-admit sa ospital (All of these are considered minor adverse events and these were validated and managed. They are all at home now. We did not admit them to hospitals),” she said. 

“Itong minor events na ito common po ito kapag nag-papabakuna. Ito ay common lang at hindi kailangan katakutan. Madali lang po itong mawawala kung saka-sakali (These minor (adverse) events are common during vaccination. These are common and there is no need to be afraid. It can be  managed easily),” she added.