Some COVID-19 referral hospitals in NCR begin rollout of 2nd dose of Sinovac vaccine

MANILA - Some COVID-19 referral hospitals in Metro Manila have started rolling out the second dose of Sinovac vaccine for their personnel, four weeks after they began administering the first dose. 

This is consistent with the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration.

The Philippine General Hospital targets to complete the second dose of its 1,900 health workers, who received the Sinovac vaccine within six days. PGH assured the public that the vaccination schedule of personnel takes into consideration the demand for manpower due to the increasing number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

“When we asked for schedule from each department, we also inform them to make sure that there is no conflict in their duties,” PGH spokesperson Dr. Jonas del Rosario told ABS-CBN News.

Health workers who got infected with COVID-19 even after getting the vaccine are not eligible to receive the second dose yet. They will have to restart with the first dose 90 days after they recover.

“We stress to our healthcare workers, don’t even line up for a second dose if you are not feeling well or you have been exposed to someone who had COVID-19 for the last 14 days. Para wala nang issue na baka mabakunahan na naman ‘yung nag-iincubate pa lang ng COVID-19,” Del Rosario said.

Dr. Jose N. Rodriguez Memorial Hospital and Sanitarium, known also as Tala Hospital, is confident it has enough measures to determine even asymptomatic COVID patients.

“Dito kasi sa hospital namin, mayroong mandatory swabbing every 2 weeks so sa mandatory swab nakita ‘yung mga nag-positive. After that, kung nag-positive sila, hindi muna sila bibigyan ng second dose,” Dr. Jade Arellano said. She screens health workers before COVID-19 vaccination at Tala Hospital.

The hospital reduced its COVID vaccination teams, as more personnel are needed to attend to the spike in COVID admissions.

“Kaya natin ginawang one vaccination team na lang at hindi three, kasi ‘yung tao doon sa vaccination team, ‘yun ho ang ginagamit natin ngayon para tauhan ang COVID-19 positive wards,” DJNRMHS medical chief II Dr. Alfonso Famaran Jr. said.

At the Lung Center of the Philippines, 60 health workers have received the second dose of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine. The hospital plans to increase this number to 120 daily beginning Tuesday until the two doses of all personnel inoculated with the Chinese-based vaccines are completed.

“Our vaccination team is also on skeletal force now, because the nurses are more needed in COVID areas since the hospital has been operating in full capacity for the past 2-3 weeks. Marami naman tayong mga volunteers na mga doktor din,” LCP spokesperson Dr. Norberto Francisco said.

At least 230 health workers, meanwhile, were scheduled to be vaccinated at East Avenue Medical Center on Monday. The hospital targets to complete administering the second dose on 1,165 vaccine recipients in 5 to 7 working days.

“Mababa ‘yun doon sa normal output namin experienced during the actual rollout. But we want to calibrate everything para mababantayan ‘yung healthcare workers dito sa second dose. Hindi kasi porke wala kang effect or hindi ka nag-react sa first dose, it does not follow that the second dose will be the same,” EAMC OIC medical center chief II Dr. Alfonso Nunez III said.

“Ang scheduling is based on the area you are covering. Hindi namin usually pinagsasabay-sabay ‘yung nurses ng isang area… even doctors. We schedule them, so may representative ang bawat area, so that if and when something happens, hindi sila sabay-sabay nawawala sa area, and the operations for that office or for that department can continue,” he said.

For health workers who have completed the two doses required for the Sinovac vaccine, observing minimum health protocols should continue despite the added protection from the vaccine.

“Since nakumpleto ko na ‘yung second dose, I feel nag-increase ‘yung protection ko against COVID-19. At the same time, hindi naman tayo pwedeng magkampante dahil complete na ‘yung vaccine. We should still practice to wear face mask and face shield,” Liam Rabanillo said.

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