BAGUIO CITY(PIA) -- The Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center with the Department of Health-Cordillera led the ceremonial launching and roll out of the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine for healthcare workers and senior citizens at the BGHMC Garden here on Monday, June 26.
BGHMC Medical Chief Dr. Ricardo Runez Jr., Public Health Unit Head Dr. Leamor Fangonilo with DOH-CAR officials and staff and Baguio City Health Services Office OIC Dr. Celia Flor Brillantes witnessed the ceremonial vaccination of four health workers of the third booster shot or fifth dose of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Given the third booster were BGHMC Department of Pediatrics Chair Dr. Elaine Corpus, BGHMC Department of Family and Community Medicine Training Officer Dr. Haydee Danganan, DOH-CAR Medical Officer IV Dr. Shelly Aral and DOH-CAR National Immunization Program Coordinator Joyce Rillorta.
Dr. Runez said they take the lead in the vaccination of their health workers and other eligible population in support to the whole-of-nation approach in solving the problem of the COVID-19 to help the government in the recovery of the economy and other aspects in the country. He called on the health workers to get the third booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for their own protection and so that they could concentrate on more pressing health concerns affecting the population.
Nunez explained that bivalent vaccine can provide protection against two virus strains including the original COVID-19 strain and Omicron subvariants. The original vaccine shot is called the monovalent because it targeted only one strain.
“We need to move on from the effects of the pandemic to concentrate on other pressing diseases such as TB, HIV, Dengue, other diseases, para hindi na tayo maapektuhan ng sudden rise and fall of cases of COVID-19 that will need hospitalization lalo na sa mga high risk groups,” Runez said.
