Health workers batted for safe and most effective coronavirus disease (COVID-19) booster shots as fully vaccinated medical frontliners started receiving booster shots on Wednesday, Nov. 17.
"COVID-19 booster and third doses are additional protection to health workers against the deadly virus and part of the overall solution in improving public health care. But in conjunction with the COVID-19 vaccination and booster doses, we still reiterate that continuous mass testing, effective contact tracing, isolation, free and proper COVID-19 treatment should be in place in order to mitigate the virus, " Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) National President Robert Mendoza said in a statement.
Mendoza said that in order to achieve a healthy, humane, high quality, and citizen-responsive healthcare system, the fight for "a free and comprehensive public health care" must continue.
AHW also urged the Department of Health and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) to "be efficient and swift" in the provision of payment for the compensation of health workers who experienced adverse effects following their inoculation.
"We are deeply saddened as we receive reports regarding Philhealth's long delay of compensation payment to health workers under its Vaccine Injury Compensation Program," Mendoza added.
"More than a year now, we health workers are considered real heroes who sacrificed our health and safety and up to now, we are still fighting against the deadly virus. So, it is just right that we demand for the safest and most efficacious COVID-19 booster shots that we deserve."