CamSur to conduct Covid-19 vaccination activity simulation

With the aim to contribute to the achievement of herd immunity against COVID-19, the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur will be conducting a simulation exercise of the COVID-19 vaccination activity on March 5, 2021, 10:00 AM, at the Capitol Convention Center. Headed by Governor Miguel Luis “Migz” Villafuerte, the simulation is organized by the Provincial Health Office and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, with the participation of the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Interior and Local Government, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Coast Guard, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Education. The simulation exercise will also involve 100 vaccinees from the provincial government.

The exercise is comprised of three scenarios, first of which is the simulation of the formal turn-over of the vaccines to the Provincial Government. Under this simulation scenario, the vaccines will be transported to the Provincial Cold Chain Storage. Governor Villafuerte, Regional NIP Coordinator Dr. Monrey Isaiah Mancilla, Provincial DOH Officer Dr. Rey Millena, and PHO CamSur Public Chief Officer Dr. Joseph Paris Go will formally receive the vaccine.

On the second simulation scenario, Governor Villafuerte himself will be the first to go through the five stations of the COVID-19 vaccination activity. Station 1, dedicated for waiting and counselling, is where the benefits of vaccine and the advantages of getting vaccinated will be explained to the vaccinees. After which, vaccinees will proceed to Station 2 for registration. Meanwhile, Station 3 bears the crucial part of the vaccination process, the screening portion, where the vaccinees will be screened for any contraindications to the vaccine. The potential implications for people with underlying diseases, previous infections, and of certain age groups, and the potential adverse events following immunization will also be discussed to the vaccinees under Station 3. The vaccinees who will pass the screening will proceed to Station 4, where they will be vaccinated. Finally, on Station 5, the vaccinated individuals will be required to stay for 30 minutes to one hour in the post-vaccine area to observe if any adverse effect following immunization will transpire. Doctors and nurses will standby at the Advance Medical Post to provide medical attention to the vaccinees who will show adverse effect. Should the case of the vaccinee require referral to Bicol Medical Center, ambulances will also be present at the vicinity.

The third simulation scenario on the COVID-19 vaccination activity will focus on vaccine storage and handling, particularly on the end of the municipalities of the province who will have to conduct their own inoculation. Under this simulation scenario, the representatives from the participating municipalities of Canaman, Libmanan, Nabua, Garchitorena, and Del Gallego will receive their allocated vaccines from the EOC Clinic, accompanied by the personnel of PNP and AFP.

The Philippines began its official roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines on March 1, 2021, following the arrival of the first 600,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine on February 28, 2021. Based on the 2021 Vaccine Roll Out Plan of DOH, the vulnerable sectors and government and health frontliners, including the vaccinators and uniformed men, will be prioritized in the first quarter of the vaccine roll-out.