MEDICAL frontliners or employees of the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) on Friday morning, March 5, had themselves inoculated to kick off the vaccination program in Cagayan de Oro City.
The first to receive a dose of Coronavac, the inactivated vaccine developed by Sinovac, was 48-year-old Dominggo Gubalane.
Dr. Bernard Rocha, NMMC liaison officer, who also received his first dose of vaccine in the morning, said they are aiming to vaccinate 340 employees per day.
"Five days straight ang atong vaccination program. Ang atong target is 340 per day pero ang akong tan-aw basin mas daghan pa nuon," Rocha said, adding that the vaccination program at the NMMC will end at 5 p.m. each day.
After he got the first dose of Sinovac vaccine, Rocha said that "it felt very good" and "the effect is okay."
So far, there are no employees of NMMC who experienced negative reactions upon getting their first dose of the vaccine. But there were some who felt dizzy due to not eating their breakfast.
"Major side effects nga parehas sa allergic reaction or paspas mobuto ang dughan or kanang nag hypertension or niubos ang ilang mga BP (blood pressure), wala man gyud nuon," Rocha said.
The NMMC liaison officer added that they are prepared for the possibility of one of the vaccinees experiencing side effects. The ICU and emergency room on standby, however, were not used.
Rocha also said that no NMMC employees have refused to be vaccinated during the rollout.
"In fact, nagsugod na mi'g rollout, after na hibaw-an na naa na gyud dinhi ang mga vaccines, nisaka na pud ang among count na gusto magpabakuna, hangtod ganihang buntag. Nakit-an nila na wala may nahitabo, so now daghan na gyud ang nagpalista," Rocha said.
He said the Department of Health (DOH) is aiming to have all the NMMC employees be vaccinated.
NMMC Chief Dr. Jose Chan got his first shot of Sinovac vaccine in the afternoon, administered by DOH Assistant Secretary Roy Ferrer.
Present during the ceremonial vaccination at the Covid-19 referral hospital were Department of the Interior and Local Government Acting Secretary Bernardo Florece Jr., Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Vaccine Czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, DILG Regional Director Arnel Agabe, Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno and DOH OIC Regional Director Elenieta Gamolo.