(Eagle News) — Over 1,000 immigration frontliners are expected to receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine starting this weekend.
Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said the target is to inoculate 1,250 immigration personnel.
The government-procured CoronaVac, the vaccine from Sinovac Biotech, will be used.
The vaccine is administered in two doses in an interval of 28 days.
According to the bureau, in compliance with the priority list given by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), employees who are senior citizens and persons with co-morbidities will be given the doses first.
A pre-screening will be conducted on the medical history of the officers to determine those who are eligible to receive the vaccine.
Bureau Deputy Commissioner and Chairperson of COVID-19 Taskforce Aldwin Alegre said despite the vaccine rollout, immigration personnel will continue to implement basic health protocols such as the wearing of face masks and face shields, and the maintaining of physical distancing.
Body temperatures shall also continue to be checked.
“(The bureau) is a frontline agency and our employees at the ports, as well as in our numerous offices nationwide, have remained open to provide service. Our frontliners are one of the most exposed and have a high risk in contracting the highly transmissible virus,” Alegre said.
So far, almost 300 BI employees have been infected with COVID-19, the bureau said.
