DOH coordinates with firms to train clinic staff for COVID vaccination

(FILE PHOTO) Health Usec. Myrna Cabotaje. Screengrab from RTVM

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health is coordinating with private firms to train clinic personnel for the administration of COVID-19 vaccines to make immunization accessible to workers.

Currently, COVID-19 vaccination is conducted in immunization centers of local governments and select pharmacies and clinics.

“What we are now trying to do, to convince for the boosters and so that the vaccination will be nearer in the areas, is to really bring the vaccination to the site,” Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje said on ABS-CBN News Channel’s Rundown on Tuesday.

“So, it’s not only the big clinics but we know that companies have their own clinics. So, we are starting to coordinate and train these health personnel in their clinics so that the workers have easier access to the vaccination sites. These initiations and these trainings are ongoing,” she continued.

Starting December 1 last year, COVID-19 vaccination is a requirement for on-site workers.

Unvaccinated workers must undergo a COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test, at their own expense, every two weeks to work on-site.

To date, around 61 million individuals are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Of which, nine million received their booster dose.

JPV