CEBU CITY – Private hospitals in Metro Cebu on Tuesday started their vaccination drive for their healthcare workers.
More than 7,000 workers from various private hospitals agreed to receive Sinovac, the China-made COVID-19 vaccine, said Department of Health-Central Visayas Spokesperson, Dr. Mary Jean Loreche.
Among those who signed up for the vaccination drive were 1,200 workers from Perpetual Succour Hospital, 1,584 from Cebu Doctors’ Hospital University, 2,468 from Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City, and 1,111 Chong Hua Hospital in Mandaue City.
There were 414 workers from South General Hospital in Naga City, 364 North General Hospital in Cebu City, and 560 hospital staff from Mactan Doctors’ Hospital in Lapu-Lapu City who agreed to receive the vaccine.
Dr. Pureza Onate, Medical Center Chief of Perpetual Succour Hospital, said majority of their workers agreed to be vaccinated.
Onate said taking the vaccine was voluntary.
Hospital frontliners like doctors and nurses were the priority of the vaccination.
Onate said people should not be afraid of taking the vaccine.
"There is nothing to fear about. That is our protection for everyone and the people (staff) are responding very well," said Onate.
Onate was willing to be vaccinated but she was not among who received Sinovac, which is limited to 59 years old and below.
The 75-year-old Onate she was advised to wait for another brand of COVID-19 vaccine.