CORONAVAC ROLLOUT. A medical worker prepares the Sinovac vaccine at the Pasay City General Hospital on Tuesday (March 2, 2021). A total of 100 medical workers of the hospital were inoculated. (PNA photo by Robert Alfiler)
MANILA – Healthcare workers of Pasay City General Hospital are willing to get vaccinated against Covid-19 regardless of the brand, noting that "the best vaccine is the available vaccine."
Dr. John Victor de Gracia shared he felt nothing after receiving his first shot of CoronaVac on Tuesday. He then urged his fellow healthcare workers to follow suit.
"I hope yung mga kasamahan kong mga front-liners and healthcare workers na meron pang doubt about the vaccine, magpabakuna na po kasi (I hope my co-healthcare workers who still have doubts on the vaccine, just get vaccinated because) this is your added level of protection," he said.
"Halos araw-araw humaharap kami sa mga pasyente namin na may Covid so makakatulong sa amin ito (Almost every day we are exposed to our Covid patients so this is a huge help to us)," he added.
De Gracia said he volunteered to get vaccinated to also protect his family against the deadly virus.
He said, for now, "the best vaccine is the available vaccine."
A total of 100 healthcare workers of the Pasay hospital availed of the CoronaVac.
Dr. John Victor de Gracia, deputy chief of clinical service at the Pasay City General Hospital (PNA photo by Robert Alfiler)
'Choose to get protected'
Ryan Pontejos, 39, admitting clerk, said even if Sinovac is still being developed, he did not hesitate at all.
“It is better to feel protected that the vaccine is available than fear getting infected," he said.
At the height of the pandemic, Pontejos was exposed to Covid-19 patients and became a suspected carrier himself.
"I'm very willing to get the vaccine for my own protection and to also protect my family," he said.
As he chose a profession that will protect others, Pontejos said he must protect himself first to make sure he could give the protection he wants for his patients and his family.
"Kung maging Covid patient ako, mahahawaan ko ang pamilya ko tapos kakalat pa 'yung virus. Dadami pa kaming magkakasakit (If I will become a Covid patient, I might infect my family then the virus will spread. More of us will get sick)," he said.
Contribution vs Covid fight
Nurse Reynel San Gaspar, 34, said he availed of the vaccination as his contribution to winning the country's battle against the pandemic.
"Ang gusto ko lang din talaga ay matapos na itong pandemyang kinakaharap natin. Makakatulong to to boost my immune system at makakabawas pa sa iniisip natin sa sakit na mahawaan o makahawa pa (I just wanted this pandemic to end. It would help boost my immune system and it could reduce the fear of getting infected or infect others)," he said.
He urged others to avail of the CoronaVac as well.
"Sa mga katrabaho ko o colleague ko, magpabakuna kayo kasi eto na eh, eto 'yung available na magbibigay naman ng proteksyon sa atin. At para mabawasan na rin yung mga agam-agam niyo, nabakunahan ako pero okay ako (To my co-workers, my colleagues, just get vaccinated because this is it, this is the available vaccine that would also provide protection to us)," he said. (PNA)
