Only 13 out of the 2,378 personnel of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) are still unvaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) due to various reasons.
Col. Leo Pamittan, acting provincial director, said on Tuesday the number comprises only less than 1 percent of the entire provincial police.
“These are personnel with comorbidities, pregnant women and lactating mothers who submitted waivers,” he said.
The number of unvaccinated decreased by seven after the NOCPPO reported 20 personnel who signed the waivers on the first week of January.
Those who do not avail of Covid-19 vaccines are directed to submit a waiver to the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 (Western Visayas).
Unvaccinated police officers are also required to undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test every 14 days at their expense in compliance with the “no job, no vaccine” policy of the Philippine National Police.
Resolution 148-B of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases mandates all establishments and employers in the public and private sector to require their eligible employees tasked to do on-site work to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
As of January 17, the NOCPPO has three remaining active Covid-19 cases among the 248 personnel who tested positive for the virus.
Source: Philippines News Agency