The South Cotabato police started on Thursday the inoculation of its 712 eligible personnel against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Col. Jemuel Siason, South Cotabato police director, said they are targeting to complete the vaccination activity in two days in coordination with the rural health units (RHUs) in the province’s 10 towns and lone city.
He said the mass vaccination was earlier set by the Police Regional Office-12’s medical and dental unit headed by Lt. Col Techie Leban based on a directive from the regional police chief, Brig. Gen. Michael John Dubria.
The RHUs received on Wednesday the allotted AstraZeneca vaccines, which were part of the supplies donated by the Japanese government, for the first dose of police personnel assigned in the province, he said.
Siason said they have set the vaccination activities in the RHUs where the police personnel is assigned.
In this city, for instance, he said some 259 personnel will be inoculated by the City Health Office until Friday.
They are assigned at the Koronadal City Police Station, South Cotabato Police Provincial Office, and the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company.
The police official described the Covid-19 vaccination activities as a milestone for their unit, which recorded several positive cases in the past months.
“It can’t be denied that many of our (colleagues) were already infected, and some in other areas even sacrificed their precious lives in combating the virus,” he said in a statement.
He said inoculation is a huge boost to their unit’s efforts to help stop the spread of Covid-19 in the area.
It is also “our contribution to the people of South Cotabato” in achieving population protection against the deadly virus.
“Our personnel will now be protected while implementing our game plan to put an end to this disease,” he added.
Source: Philippines News Agency