Over 2,000 military health workers vaccinated vs. COVID-19

A total of 2,290 military healthcare workers have been inoculated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with the Sinovac vaccine, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Thursday.

The AFP said 598 of them were vaccinated at the Victoriano Luna Medical Center, 583 at the Camp Aguinaldo Station Hospital, 349 at the Manila Naval Hospital, 566 at the Army General Hospital, and 194 at the Air Force General Hospital.

"I am confident that our frontline personnel will make good use of this opportunity to confidently and safely dispense their duties as we collectively seek an end to this pandemic," AFP chief Lieutenant General Cirillo Sobejana said in a statement.

The AFP and its branches on Tuesday conducted separate ceremonial vaccinations where at least 120 medical healthcare workers were inoculated against COVID-19.

The vaccination of AFP personnel is mandatory.

According to Sobejana, healthcare workers will be prioritized among AFP personnel.

“The AFP is grateful to the national government to have our health workers be among the first to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This gives protection to our military frontliners as they carry out their duties to serve and treat our citizens,” he said.

Meanwhile, the AFP said it is conducting troop information and education in camps to address the concerns of soldiers that will be vaccinated. -Joahna Lei Casilao/MDM, GMA News