AstraZeneca vaccine rolls out successfully in Kidapawan City

NEWS | 2021/03/17 | LKRO

AstraZeneca vaccine rolls out successfully in Kidapawan City

At least six Covid-19 referral hospitals in Kidapawan City have started the vaccination roll out of AstraZeneca vaccines today, March 16, 2021.

This is the second roll out of vaccines for Covid-19 following the highly successful inoculation using Sinovac vaccine for front liners from Kidapawan City Hospital and three other referral hospital namely M’lang District Hospital in M’lang, Aniceto Pesante Hospital in Midsayap and Mindanao Doctor’s Hospital and Cancer Center, Inc. in Kabacan last March 8-10, 2021.

Just like Sinovac, the AstraZeneca vaccines form part of the total vaccines allotted for various hospitals in Kidapawan City and other municipalities in the Province of Cotabato. A total of 4,910 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines arrived in Cotabato yesterday, March 15, 2021 and were distributed to more than 40 hospitals in the province according to the Cotabato Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for Covid-19.

In Kidapawan City, the recipients of first doses of AstraZeneca include the Kidapawan Medical Specialist Center (KMSCI) 465, Kidapawan Doctors Hospital, Inc. (KDHI) 328, Madonna General Hospital (MGH) 155, United Doctors Hospital (21) and Midway Hospital. The Cotabato Provincial Hospital (CPH), the province’s biggest public hospital also received 330 doses of vaccines for its medical and health front liners; and many other hospitals catering to or accepting Covid-19 patients.

Among the recipients of AstraZeneca vaccine is Dr. Maximino Pacifico of United Doctor’s Hospital who is 77 years old.  Having a long span of medical service and one of the only first few senior citizens inoculated, he said he didn’t feel any side effects after being vaccinated by AstraZeneca.  “I was very eager to receive the vaccine because this is the only way to stop the spread of Covid-19 and to save our families and the entire community”, Dr. Pacifico said.

Dr. Pacifico belonged to the first batch of vaccinees from United Doctor’s Hospital catered for AstraZeneca vaccination in Notre Dame of Kidapawan College (NDKC) in the morning.

Both Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines continue to gain high acceptance rating from front liners.

Kiven Pacifico, a medical front liner for 20 years was also very eager to receive the vaccine saying it would save the lives of millions of people. He said he was a little bit worried when he arrived at the vaccination site thinking of the possible side effects but it was gone after the inoculation. “I am encouraging our front liners to get vaccinated and help stop Covid-19.” Pacifico said. “The vaccines are safe and I am appealing to everybody to do the same and get vaccinated with the available vaccines”, he added.

Juliet Tabanao, who is relatively new as a front liner working for only eight months said she was having second thoughts on vaccination but eventually decided to get vaccinated as it is the best way to get protection against the dreaded disease. “As I entered the vaccination area all my fears are gone. It was replaced with hope that everything will be alright and indeed, it went well.” said Juliet.

She even had her pictures taken along with other front liners after vaccination and after the post vaccination procedures.

Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph A. Evangelista visited the vaccination site and was delighted to see the line up medical and health front liners getting ready for inoculation.

“This is another historic day for Kidapawan City as we conduct the roll out of AstraZeneca among our front liners. The City Government of Kidapawan will do everything it can from coordination to various support just to make the vaccination completely successful”, said Mayor Evangelista

He reiterated that both Sinovac and AstraZeneca are good and safe vaccines with relatively decent efficacy rates and that having vaccinated is the only way to stop the spread of Covid-19 apart from the minimum health protocols prescribed by the health department. 

Meanwhile, some 60 front liners received AstraZeneca vaccine during the first day of inoculation and the activity is expected to be finished in three days. The second doses of AstraZeneca is already in store and will be delivered in due time following the schedule of inoculation,  according to the Department of Health (DOH) 12. (CIO-AJPME/JSCJ)