THE Philippine National Police (PNP) today offered its police camps and other facilities as venue for the intended inoculation of aged 12-17 individuals, particularly children and minor dependents of members of the country’s police organization.
The National Task Force Against COVID-19 said it is getting ready for the planned administration of COVID-19 vaccines to 12-17 year old Filipinos as vaccines continue to arrive in the country.
“Ngayong halos patapos na ang vaccination sa aming hanay, inatasan ko na ang aming Administrative Support for COVID-19 Task Force sa pamumuno ni PLt. Gen. Joselito Vera Cruz na maghanda sa pamamagitan ng pag-umpisa ng paglilista ng mga 12-17 years old dependents ng aming uniformed at civilian personnel,” stated by PNP Chief Police General Guillermo Eleazar.
According to Eleazar, this move is in preparation for the widest vaccination program of the government for minors to have more Filipinos be protected against the virus.
Based on the PNP-Administrative Support for COVID-19 Task Force (PNP-ASCOTF) data, there are 131,00 PNP personnel who have been fully vaccinated while 80,000 already received their first dose. According to a continuing online survey by the PNP-ASCOTF, only 1,554 out of 222,711 or 0.7 percent have yet to be vaccinated.
Gen Eleazar mentioned that they are targeting to vaccinate the whole PNP before the end of 2021.
The national government, on the other hand, is looking at the vaccination of children 12-17 for a possible resumption of face-to-face classes as part of the incremental process of going back to normal.
The PNP chief assured that police camps and facilities for the inoculation of children and dependents of PNP personnel will be of great assistance for the Local Government Units (LGUs) in guaranteeing the welfare and safety of children aged 12-17 once the vaccination starts.
“Makikipag-ugnayan ang inyong PNP sa NTF Against COVID-19 at sa Department of Health na gawing vaccination sites ang aming mga kampo para sa 12-17 year old dependents ng aming mga personnel upang maiwasan ang pagdagsa ng mga menor de edad sa vaccination sites ng ating mga LGUs kapag nag-umpisa na ang pagbakuna sa kanila,” said Gen Eleazar.
With the PNP’s campaign on information dissemination that started last February when Gen. Eleazar was the PNP-ASCOTF commander, the number of police personnel who wanted to get vaccinated increased to 99.3 percent from 51 percent.