5,260 CoronaVac doses arrive in Palawan

A Philippine Air Force plane lands at the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa City on Friday (March 5) to deliver 5,260 doses of CoronaVac. PHOTOS FROM MARIA MERCEDES CASTRO

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY—A total of 5,260 doses of CoronaVac, the vaccine made by Chinese company Sinovac, arrived here on Friday (March 5) at the Antonio Bautista Air Base, a military facility, marking the rollout of vaccination in Palawan province.

Executive secretary Salvador Medialdea escorted the vaccines, which was part of the 600,000 doses that had been donated by China to the Philippines.

Medialdea was also expected to be present at the start of the vaccination here on Sunday (March 7).

Palawan Gov. Jose Alvarez, who welcomed the Philippine Air Force (PAF) aircraft that carried the vaccines, said he was willing to be injected first to boost confidence among the residents reluctant to be inoculated. But he said health workers must be given priority.

“Yes, anytime I’m willing but let’s give priority to nurses, doctors, med techs,” the governor said.

The 5,260 doses delivered to Palawan would be divided among several hospitals and health facilities. Ospital ng Palawan gets 1,218 doses; Culion Sanitarium, 450 doses; MMG-PPC Cooperative Hospital, 702 doses; Adventist Hospital Palawan, 1,200 and provincial health office, 1,690.

Dr. Mario Baquilod, regional director of DOH in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan provinces), said the distribution was based on number of patients in the COVID-19 referral and Level 2 hospitals in the region.

Palawan had the biggest share of the vaccines in Mimaropa which was allotted only 10,000 doses.

Oriental Mindoro received early Friday 2,640 doses; Occidental Mindoro, 750 doses; Romblon, 750 and Marinduque, 600.

TSB