PNP: 45% of cops fully vaccinated vs COVID-19; 46% awaiting second dose

PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar gets vaccinated with the first dose of China’s Sinovac BioNTech (Photo from Philippine National Police-PIO)

MANILA, Philippines — At least 45 percent of all police personnel nationwide have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while 46 percent are waiting to be given the second dose according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

A total of 101,302 police personnel are now fully vaccinated, accounting for 45.46 percent of the whole PNP’s strength, said PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Thursday. Another 103,276 have already received the vaccine’s first dose.

“Sa ngayon mayroon na lang tayong 8.20% o 18,279 na pulis at non-uniformed personnel ang naghihintay na mabakunahan,” Eleazar said.

(So we only have around 8.20 percent or 18,279 police and non-uniformed personnel who are awaiting vaccinations.)

Sadly, two more police officers succumbed to COVID-19 as of Thursday, pushing the PNP’s death toll to 106.  One of the officers who died was a 54-year-old police officer assigned to the Police Regional Office 5, who tested positive last August 20 and died last August 26.

The other police officer was a 25-year-old patrolman assigned at the Ilocos Region, who already got his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.  He was rushed to the hospital last August 24 but died that same day.

“Ako po ay lubos na nakikiramay sa pamilya ng ating mga pulis na namatay at agad na nag utos sa kanilang mga hepe ng agarang tulong,” Eleazar said.

(I am offering my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of the police officers who died, and I have directed the provision of assistance to them.)

Active COVID-19 cases in the PNP are now at 2,022 after the national police reported 219 new infections, while 215 new recovered patients pushed the recovery count to 32,844.

All in all, the PNP has recorded 34,972 confirmed COVID-19 cases in its ranks.

/MUF