THE number of healthcare workers (HCWs) from the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) in Cebu City who have given consent to be inoculated with the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine has increased to around 1,200, said VSMMC chief Dr. Gerardo Aquino Jr.
Aquino was the first to get the Sinovac vaccine during the ceremonial Covid-19 vaccination, the first vaccine rollout in the Visayas and Mindanao that was held inside the new Center for Behavioral Sciences building of the VSMMC around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 4.
After Aquino, Dr. Juanito Tiu of St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital, Dr. Pythagoras Zerna of Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital, Major General Melquiades Feliciano of the Inter-Agency Task Force Central Visayas, and Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, Department of Health (DOH)-Central Visayas spokesperson and chief pathologist, also received the Sinovac vaccine.
"Wala lang, normal lang because expert siguro ang nag injection sa ako. There was just a little pain on the injection, just like the ordinary vaccination. Other than that, they keep on monitoring my vital signs and okay ra," Aquino said during the post vaccination briefing.
Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo of the Field Implementation and Coordination Team was the one who administered the vaccine to Aquino.
Loreche said about 50 to 70 healthcare workers from VSMMC will be inoculated on the same day and then 500 healthcare workers per day will be vaccinated in the following days. (WBS)