2,290 military medical personnel get Sinovac

Mar 4, 2021 07:11 PM

More than 2,000 military medical frontllners have been vaccinated by the Chinese-made Sinovac since the national government started its roll-out of vaccine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on Monday.

Navy Capt. Jonathan Zata, chief military information officer, said a total of 598 personnel of the V. Luna Medical Center were inoculated, 583 at the Camp Emilio Aguinaldo Station Hospital, 349 at the Philippine Navy Manila Naval Hospital, 566 at the Philippine Army General Hospital and 194 at the Philippine Air Force General Hospital, for a total of 2,290 military medical frontliners.

Lt Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said more than 3,000 vaccines are still available and set to be vaccinated for the personnel of the five military hospitals.

"I am confident that our frontline personnel will make good use of this opportunity to confidently and safely dispense their duties as we collectively seek an end to this pandemic," said Sobejana.

In order to convince more soldiers to be inoculated, Sobejana said they are now conducting information drive in every camp to address issues and concerns of soldiers on Sinovac.

Last month, the military announced that they will no force soldiers to be inoculated by Sinovac but stressed that soldiers have to be vaccinated as soon as their preferred brand of vaccines is available.

A top military official was also quoted saying that being vaccinated is a duty of every soldier.

The military has mobilzed 74 vaccination teams and opened 47 vaccination sites across the country for its personnel, mostly military camps.

Sobejana, for his part, called on soldiers to support the government's vaccination program.

"The vaccination program will be our shield that shall aid us in protecting and preserving Filipino lives against the pandemic," said Sobejana.