BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Aside from schools, police stations across Negros Occidental are being prepared as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination hubs.
Police Lieutenant Abegael Donasco, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said they already conducted an inventory of equipment and personnel needed for the inoculation of residents.
“Preparations are now in full swing,” Donasco said.
She cited President Rodrigo Duterte’s marching order to prepare police stations nationwide for COVID-19 mass vaccination.
Duterte earlier said the police and military will be supervising the distribution and administration of the vaccines while health professionals, including uniformed nurses, will help as well.
There are 31 police stations across Negros Occidental.
NOCPPO is currently identifying police officers who are also licensed nurses.
They will be trained by the Department of Health as COVID-19 vaccinators, Donasco said.
Early in January, the provincial government secured doses of AZD1222 Vaccine through a tripartite agreement with British pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca and the national government.
The vaccines are expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2021.
Aside from police stations, several universities and parish churches in the province also offered their facilities for the vaccination rollout./PN
