While the National Taskforce on Covid-19 (NTF) announced that mass vaccination against Covid-19 is set to begin this month, a senator and a nursing association is calling the government to prioritize the vaccination of healthcare workers.
Senator Risa Hontiveros urged the NTF to specify what ‘essential’ professions will be included in the priority list of vaccination. She added that the government should organize and publicize the vaccine priority list to prevent confusion and speed up inoculation,
“By now, it should be already clear which individuals would be prioritized for inoculation. Saan ba makikita ang tunay at updated na listahan mula sa NTF? Saan pupunta ang mga nasa priority list para magpabakuna? Per individual basis or per household basis ba ang basehan ng mga kasama sa listahan? All of these should be clearly outlined to the public at this point,” Hontiveros said.
Despite the danger posed by Covid-19, millions of health care workers around the world continue to report for duty, risking their lives to save others.
Filipino Nurses United President Maristela Abenojar stated that our healthcare workers are working up to 36-hour shifts. According to her our nurses can’t get tested regularly and if they get sick, there aren’t always hospital beds reserved for them.
By December 21, 2020, more than 13,000 healthcare workers have been infected by COVID-19 with 76 of them succumbing to the disease. – Camille Trinidad