Silliman U orders vaccines for faculty, staff

MINERVA BC NEWMAN

DUMAGUETE CITY – Silliman University orders doses of the Covovax vaccine for its facuty and staff, including part-time and adjunct faculty, retirees, and one dependent for each employee with the roll-out dates may happen in July, August and September 2021 with the university to shoulder the cost of the vaccines.

Silliman University (SU) president Dr. Betty Cernol McCann emphasized the importance of vaccinating as many people as possible in the fight against COVID-19.

“In this battle against the pandemic, the more individuals we draw into our circle of health security, the better chance we have in winning this fight.  By extending preventive measures from the workplace to the home environment, we establish more allies to help us launch an effective campaign,” McCann said.

In one of the faculty and staff webinar on the SU vaccination program last April 14, Atty. Joshua Francisco Ablong, SU-Human Resource Development manager, said since only one dependent is covered by SU’s vaccination program, faculty and staff who wish to acquire additional vaccines for the rest of their household may order through the University but the cost must be paid by the employee.

The SU vaccination program is one of the University’s strategies to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.  McCann explained that the program aims to create a safer work environment on the campus.

She said that the combination of getting vaccinated and strictly observing health safety protocols against the virus continues to be the best measure to ensure protection and the sensible way forward to combat COVID-19.

SU ordered the vaccines from Unilab, Inc., the official distributor of Covovax for the private sector.  Covovax is a two-dose vaccine against COVID-19 developed by US-based Novavax and the Serum Institute of India.

Based on Novavax’s preliminary data from its clinical trials on individuals between 18 to 84 years old, Covovax has an efficacy rate of 95.6 percent against SARS-COV-2; 85.6 percent against the UK variant; and 60.10 percent against the South African variant.

According to Ablong in choosing the brand, the administration looked into efficacy rates, availability, cost, and the possible side effects of the vaccines.

Two doses of the Covovax vaccine costs P2,240 which includes the VAT and fees for other expenses like logistics and transportation, Ablong added.

Faculty and staff must first get a medical clearance from their attending physician to know if they are qualified to get the vaccine. When they arrive at the accredited vaccination facility where the vaccination will take place, they will first be assessed through a triage as part of the Department of Health’s protocol.

“The program is parallel to the vaccination efforts of the government and is purely voluntary,” Ablong said.

McCann said the administration has planned for the vaccination program since January this year.  The University has been monitoring vaccination programs on the international scene and has been studying various vaccine performances as published by regulatory bodies.

“In late January 2021, the university administration mulled over a vaccine plan for the institution as we prepare to open as a 'healthy' university in the event we transition in-person learning in August 2021. The Board of Trustees is fully supportive of this plan,” she bared.

The University administration is yet to distribute order forms for the vaccination program.