Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar on Tuesday received his first dose of COVID-19 vaccine as he led the ceremonial vaccination for police personnel belonging to the A4 priority group in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
Health Assistant Secretary Dr. Maria Francia Laxamana administered the vaccine to Eleazar.
In his speech, Eleazar said the PNP received 500 doses of vaccine from the Chinese-firm Sinovac. The jabs will be distributed to the members of Command Group and other senior police officers, members of the National Capital Region Police Office, Special Action Force, and Aviation Security Group.
He added that about 18,320 police officers have received their vaccines before the A4 category started its inoculation as these cops belong to the A1 (frontline health workers), A2 (senior citizens), and A3 (persons with comorbidities) categories.
According to Eleazar, over 15,000 PNP personnel are willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
"As of the latest survey, 92.76% of our personnel, the total of 220,000, gusto magpabakuna but meron pa rin tayong 7.24% or mahigit 15,000 na nag-aalinlangan," Eleazar said.
He then thanked the national government for its effort to distribute the vaccines to the PNP.
"Tayo ay nagpapasalamat sa ating pamahalaan, sa lahat ng bumubuo ng IATF, sa guidance ng ating Pangulong Duterte, sa kanilang effort para itong milyong bakuna ay makarating na sa atin," Eleazar said.
"Hindi lang natin ito obligasyon sa ating bayan kung hindi obligasyon din sa ating mga sarili at sa ating mga pamilya. Sa panahon ng pandemya na kung saan libre ang bakuna huwag na tayo maging choosy pa dahil nakasasalay dito ang kaligtasan mo at ng ating pamilya," he added.
