ILOILO City – Getting jabs against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) boosted not only their immune system but also their confidence. But healthcare workers and other frontliners in Western Visayas vowed never to get complacent about the ongoing pandemic.
There have been no adverse reactions noted so far, according to Dr. Maria Sylvia Teresa de Pili of St. Paul’s Hospital Iloilo (SPHI). She was Panay Island’s first healthcare worker to be inoculated.
“After my first and second dose sang vaccine wala gid sang untoward incident. Wala ako sang may nabatyag nga alay sang kamot or pain sa injection site or whatever,” de Pili told Panay News.
De Pili – chairman of the Internal Medicine Department of SPHI – received her first dose of the CoronaVac vaccine on March 5 and second dose on April 2.
“Even on the same day mismo sang pag-receive ko sang vaccine, very normal lang gid,” she added.
The doctor said she underwent assessment (checking of body temperature and blood pressure) prior to immunization and three- to 40-minute post-vaccination monitoring.
Now that she’s fully vaccinated, de Pili said she felt more secure. But that’s no reason to become complacent, she stressed.
“Nakabulig gid ang immunization sa confidence level ta pero indi buot singganon nga mag-lie low na kita with regards man sa safety protocol. So we should still wear our facemask and face shield and maintain social distancing,” she said.
De Pili also noted that a vaccinated person will be fully immunized after two weeks of his/her final dose.
The doctor noted that in her case, the vaccine would take its full effect on her by the third week of April.
With this, de Pili is encouraging individuals who are included in the priority population to also submit themselves for COVID-19 vaccination.
“Sa mga nagaduha-duha pa nga magpa-immunize, mas maayo gid nga magpa-inject na kapin pa sa subong nga panahon nga grabe pa gid ang pag-surge sang COVID cases,” she said.
“Mas maayo gid nga protektado kita tanan,” she added.
De Pili also pointed out that a lot of people are getting complacent about the pandemic.
“May ara gid kita ‘ya nga mga pasaway man gihapon,” she stressed. “Like wala naga-mask and face shield when talking to each other outside their households. Makita naman naton sa dalan magbakal sa tiangge and magkinaon daw sa wala lang.”
De Pili reminded the public that the virus is still around.
“Kon indi kamo magpati sa minimum health protocol, mas maayo gid nga magpa-immunize kamo kay very safe ang immunization. Once nga available sa inyo community, I would encourage everyone nga magpa-immunize gid,” the SPHI official added.
On the other hand, Dr. Ella Mae Divinagracia, infectious disease specialist of SPHI, said she also had not experience any adverse reaction after vaccination.
“I monitored myself after sang immunization. More than one week, wala man,” Divinagracia told Panay News. She was also inoculated using the China-made vaccine.
She added: “Ang proteksyon nga i-offer sang vaccine after two weeks is 100 percent protection against the severe COVID. So, buot silingon nga puede kapa magka-COVID pero mild na lang sia.”
Though she is feeling confident now, Divinagracia said she would never let her guard down.
The specialist also appealed to all healthcare workers to never be lax as they should still need to observe minimum health standards.
“Kon imo na torno nga magpa-vaccine i-avail mo na,” Divinagracia stressed.
“Subong ang mga reaction wala gid bala inang severe… kag manami kay gina-monitor gid in case nga na-belong ka sa persons nga may co-morbidities,” she added.
Divinagracia and de Pili were among the 22 healthcare workers of SPHI who were first to be vaccinated against the virus in Panay Island.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cynthia Cabangal-Ng, head of the Hospital Management Office (HMO) of the Iloilo provincial government, also had no complaints of any side effects after vaccination.
“Bisan ano nga sakit sa lawas wala man ako sang may nabatyagan,” Ng shared to Panay News.
Ng received her first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 26 at the Aleosan District Hospital in Alimodian, Iloilo. She is also waiting for the schedule of her second dose sometime this week or by next week.
“I am also encouraging healthcare workers and iban pa nga mga pumoluyo nga nadala sa priority list nga magpa-vaccine na para maproteksyonan man kontra sa COVID-19,” Ng stressed.
SOLDIERS’ TAKE
Major Cenon Pancito II, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division based in Jamindan, Capiz, revealed that the Sinovac vaccine had no adverse effect after he received his second dose of vaccination on April 7.
“With God’s grace, I am still up on my feet with no adverse effects. I even feel better knowing I now have that added protection against the virus. I have had my share of different kinds of vaccines while growing up,” Pancito said.
The Sinovac vaccine was even less stressful compared to his flu vaccine, he noted.
“I am now a living example that people should not fear the COVID-19 vaccine. The best vaccine is the one available on the shelf, thus I enjoin everyone to follow suit if the vaccine becomes available in your area,” Pancito added.
“This is not just for us as an individual but more for the people that we love. We may be healthy while others may not. Let us fight this disease as one. We can do it,” he furthered.
Lieutenant Axel Masangkay, administrative officer of the Camp Peralta Station Hospital, also shared his experience.
“Working in a hospital has always been a personal worry to me as we are tasked to be the first line of defense in the fight against COVID-19. Yes, we fear for our safety, too,” he said.
“With my inoculation of the COVID-19 vaccine, I am more confident now. While I know that we should still strictly follow the protocols, at least the danger of getting the virus is lesser now,” Masangkay added.
He also debunked claims that the vaccine will adversely affect the people.
“I can attest to that. Trust your health professionals,” he stressed.
On the other hand, Elizabeth Ayllon, chief of the civilian human resource office of the 3ID, said she was so fortunate that she was able to avail herself of the vaccine.
“I have finished my second dose of vaccine on April 7. I am happy and confident to share that I didn’t experience any adverse effect,” she said.
Ayllon added that she can now focus more on her work as she felt protected.
“I am now more motivated and inspired to perform my duties and responsibilities to the best that I can. I am encouraging other individuals to get vaccinated,” she added./PN
