PNP: Cops to secure vaccines, inoculators

MANILA, Philippines — Seventy percent of Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel will be deployed to secure COVID-19 vaccines and teams of vaccinators once the government rolls out the inoculation program this month, an official said yesterday.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said once the deliveries to vaccination sites begin, more than half of the PNP’s members nationwide would secure the vaccines and inoculators from the point of origin to the point of destination.

Usana said police are all set in securing four hospitals in Metro Manila whose health workers would be the first to get vaccinated.

Police units have also prepared contingency plans should there be changes in logistics brought by unforeseen circumstances such as typhoon and security risks.

At least 117,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive in about a week. These doses, which were procured through the COVAX Facility, will benefit about 58,500 health workers from COVID-19 referral hospitals in Metro Manila and other areas.

Around 600,000 doses of CoronaVac from China’s Sinovac are also expected to arrive on Feb. 23, with 100,000 of the vaccines going to the military and police.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has ordered the PNP to secure COVID-19 vaccines and inoculators to prevent any attempt to disrupt the distribution of the vaccines.

Aside from securing teams delivering and administering the vaccines, Usana said the medical reserve force has been tasked to assist vaccinators in administering COVID-19 shots.

Security measures are in place to ensure that the number of police officers to be deployed would not compromise the anti-crime operations of the the PNP, according to Usana.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) yesterday said it would be rolling out mobile bus clinics and about 6,000 vaccinators once the COVID-19 vaccines arrive.

Vaccinators of the agency are on standby for deployment nationwide, PRC health services chief Mark Abrigo said.