SU buys Covovax vaccines for faculty, staff
Dr. Betty Cernol McCann, Silliman University (SU) president, emphasized the importance of vaccinating as many people as possible in the fight against COVID-19, as SU orders doses of the Covovax vaccine for its faculty and staff, including part-time and adjunct faculty, retirees, and one dependent for each employee.
“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,” said McCann.
During the faculty and staff webinar on the SU vaccination program last April 14, 2021, Atty. Joshua Francisco J. Ablong, Human Resource Development manager, said the roll-out dates may happen in the months of July, August, and September 2021.
The University will shoulder the cost of the vaccines.
Since only one dependent will be covered by SU’s vaccination program, Ablong said 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 in facing the COVID-19 pandemic.
McCann explained that the program aims to create a safer work environment on the campus.
“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,” added McCann.
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.
“In choosing the brand, the administration looked into efficacy rates, availability, cost, and their possible side effects,” Ablong said during the webinar.
Two doses of the Covovax vaccine costs P2,240, which includes the VAT and fees for other expenses like logistics and transportation.
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,” said Ablong.
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.”
The University administration is yet to distribute order forms for the vaccination program.
