The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) continues to intensify its fight against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) through expanding its vaccination and testing efforts.

During the televised Laging Handa Public Briefing on Thursday, Aug. 12, PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard Gordon said that the humanitarian organization continues to respond to the pandemic by helping the government in its vaccination program and through continuous COVID-19 testing.

“Mayroon tayong pitong (We have seven) mobile vaccination buses,” Gordon said. Among the ongoing initiatives related to its vaccination efforts is administering Moderna vaccine doses it received from the government to Overseas Foreign Workers (OFWs) and seafarers.

Gordon said that the PRC is also expanding its testing by putting up five COVID-19 testing labs in Mindanao and additional testing centers in Cavite and Laguna.

Opening of vaccination centers nationwide

As the PRC continues to boost its vaccination efforts, the PRC Negros Occidental conducted a successful dry run at the Gaisano Grand Bakuna Center in Bacolod City and vaccinated a total of 300 people with Sinovac.

PRC Negros Occidental Bacolod City Chapter Chairman Carlos Ganihong, Bacolod City Administrator Em Ang, Gaisano Grand Bacolod City Mall chief security officer Gilbert Linda, and PRC Negros Occidental Chapter Administrator Rita Benita Mirasol were present at the dry run.

“Vaccines remain the safest protection against disease and will provide a powerful tool to address the COVID-19 pandemic,” Gordon said in a statement issued Aug. 10. “Vaccination, together with testing, is our primary weapon against COVID, and putting up mall-based vaccination centers like this across the country is critical in our fight against the pandemic,” he added.

PRC Batangas Chapter, in partnership with the local government unit (LGU) of Batangas, Xentro Mall, and Batangas Healthcare Specialist Medical Center also opened a Resbakuna center on Aug. 10 which aims to inoculate 200 people a day.

PRC Batangas Chapter mobilized 14 staff and 17 volunteers to administer the vaccination program targeting the A1, A2, and A3 categories. PRC inoculates its beneficiaries with the Janssen vaccine. “I urge everyone to get vaccinated to avoid severe cases,” Gordon said in a statement issued Aug. 10.

The PRC also opened its “Resbakuna Center” located in EDSA corner Boni Avenue. Initially, it caters to OFWs but will be opened up to the general public soon.

“Our Resbakuna Center in EDSA will be the first of many,” Gordon said in a statement issued Aug. 10. “I plan to have vaccination centers all along EDSA so we can vaccinate more people,” he added.

Currently, Gordon said that there's only one vaccination center run and operated by PRC along the nation's busiest highway, but additional vaccination centers are being planned in strategic locations along EDSA, considered as Metro Manila's major artery since it connects the National Capital Region's northern and southern districts.

On Aug. 10, PRC said that 50 OFWs were vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine under the government's Moderna Vaccination Program.

As of Aug. 9, PRC said that it has vaccinated more than 84,452 persons in its Bakuna Centers and Bakuna Buses nationwide and has also fully vaccinated 44,042 individuals.

While the vaccines are free, PRC said that it pays for all other expenses --- including equipment, medical supplies, and manpower.

Meanwhile, Gordon assured that PRC will not stop its vaccination program even during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) set in Metro Manila from Aug. 6 to 20.

COVID-19 testing continues

Meanwhile, the PRC also emphasized the importance of COVID-19 testing as the Delta variant rapidly spreads.

“We must continue testing. Even if you are vaccinated, you can be a potential carrier of COVID and you can infect others,” Gordon said in a mix of English and Filipino in a statement issued Aug. 2.

“Testing is the only way to separate the asymptomatic and non-asymptomatic virus spreaders from the non-infected,” he added.

The PRC now has 13 molecular laboratories operating nationwide and will soon open a molecular laboratories in other parts of the country serve more people in the fight against COVID-19.