Dennis Ordoña, the hospital’s COVID Vaccine Program head, said 3,300 East Ave. Medical Center employees are on the vaccine priority list of the Department of Health. The number includes, aside from the frontliners, personnel who provide janitorial, security, and paramedical services, he added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) — An official from the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City, which is among the first recipients of the initial batch of Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccines set to arrive in the Philippines soon, said Saturday that they expect to vaccinate 50-60% of their workers.
“Base po sa mga datos ng ibang ospital — around 50-60% ang willing magpabakuna. Sa ngayon, aming ineexpect na ganito rin ang aming numbers,” Ordoña told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Weekend.
[Translation: According to the data of other hospitals, around 50-60% are willing to be vaccinated. We also expect to yield the same numbers.]
He noted that EAMC, too, was dealing with vaccine hesitancy, which may have been triggered by “fake news” or “lack of information” on anti-coronavirus shots. To address this issue, he said the hospital continues to conduct an information drive to help employees make an informed choice.
Preparations underway
The official also said they are now preparing the facility where the vaccination will be held, as the DOH informed them that the vaccines may be delivered this weekend. He added they also procured a freezer to properly store vials of the Pfizer vaccine, which need to be kept at minus 70 degrees Celsius.
Aside from the EAMC, three other COVID-19 referral hospitals in Metro Manila stand to each get a share of the 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccines that will be supplied by the COVAX facility. COVAX is an initiative led by the World Health Organization, along with the vaccine alliance Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which seeks to provide over 150 participating countries equitable access to coronavirus vaccines.
But Ordoña said he still cannot give the definite number of their workers who are willing to be inoculated since their survey on this is ongoing. He said findings in other hospitals show 50-60% of their employees are willing to receive the shots and he thinks they may produce similar survey results.
