Over 170K vaccinators needed for nat’l inoculation drive

MANILA – The government is targeting to mobilize 170,000 to 200,000 medical workers to serve as vaccinators during the three-day national Covid-19 vaccination drive from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1.

In an interview at the Palace press briefing on Thursday, Dr. Kezia Rosario of the National Vaccination Operation Center (NOVC) said the government has to prepare larger capacities for the “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” Day.

The government will have “to mobilize all the resources” whether, from the private sector or other government line agencies, she added.

“So, for the vaccinators, kailangan tayo na mag-mobilize ng (we need to mobilize) around 170,000. We are also expecting to be as high as 200,000,” she added.

Rosario said the vaccination initiative invokes a “Bayanihan” spirit by encouraging healthcare professionals from various medical fields such as doctors, nurses, dentist pharmacists, medical technologists, and other medical volunteers, to participate in the nationwide event.

“Ito naman ay ginagawa natin, not only sa pagbabakuna, ganoon din sa pag-address ng Covid-19 (We are doing this, not only during vaccination but also in addressing the Covid-19 pandemic),” she added.

In a statement, National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 chief and vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said the government targets to administer five million doses each day during the three-day vaccination.

Galvez added the initiative is to further accelerate the country’s vaccination program to soon achieve population protection.

The NTF and NVOC seek for the issuance of an executive order from Malacañang as well as a department circular from the Department of Health, declaring the three-day “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” drive as regular holiday.