IN PARTNERSHIP with local government units, the Office of Human Resources and Organization Development (OHRMOD) launched the University Vaccination Program (UVP) at the Loyola Schools Covered Courts in May to expedite herd immunity in the National Capital Region Plus bubble.
With the UVP initiated at the level of the President’s Council, OHRMOD worked alongside the Technical Working Group, University Physician, Ayala Healthcare Holdings Inc. (AC Health), and the Office of Student Services to implement this program.
While University President Roberto Yap, SJ said that the University ordered 18,000 doses in May, University Physician Norman Marquez, PhD said in an interview on August 9 that “around 60 doses” have been issued to the University since then.
HR Operations Division Head Kathy Soriano said that the first batch of 30 individuals received their first doses on August 3 and was scheduled to receive their second doses on August 31. On the other hand, the second batch of 90 vaccinees is scheduled to receive their doses on August 24 and 25.
As of writing, she said that 1,501 Ateneo employees have enlisted under the UVP’s Priority Group I.
Vaccine procurement and rollout
Due to limited vaccine supply, the UVP implemented four priority groups, namely for full and part-time employees, independent contractors and affiliate units, University students, and Group I’s eligible dependents. The succeeding Groups II, III, and IV will only be accommodated once all members of Group I have been vaccinated.
According to Marquez, the University had already been sourcing vaccines before they were available in the country. However, he said that the United States’ federal-funded Moderna doses were delayed due to exportation restrictions. Additionally, he said that the COVID-19 surge and Delta variant emergence in India delayed the Indian-manufactured Novavax vaccines.
Due to these constraints, Marquez said that the UVP has no control over vaccine availability. “Although we cannot guarantee yet, there is a chance that we will still have remaining doses that may be given to our students at the time we reach that category,” he added.
Meanwhile, Soriano mentioned that OHRMOD partnered with AC Health because the latter could set up the satellite vaccination site on campus. “Having our partner vaccine administrator set up a satellite vaccination site in our Loyola Heights campus lends convenience to our vaccinees in the University Vaccination Program,” she said.
She further clarified that AC Health is in charge of scheduling vaccine administrations, supplying necessary consumables, administering the vaccines, surveilling post-immunization effects, and disseminating science communication.
Costs and subsidies
Regarding the UVP’s expenses, Soriano said that the Moderna vaccine costs Php 2,000 per shot whereas the Novavax vaccine costs Php 1,000 per shot. She added that AC Health charges an administration fee of PhP 425 per shot or PhP 850 per person for every successful inoculation.
That said, she confirmed that the University fully subsidizes the vaccine and administration fees for eligible Ateneo employees in Group I and scholars in Group III.
“The financial assistance was made available to employees and their dependents covered under the University Health Care Plan and have exhausted the maximum benefit limit after the application of the benefits from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation due to Covid-19 affliction,” Soriano said.
“The implementation of this program was extended until 31 May 2022, and augmented by the Solidarity Fund to also cover employees and dependents who are not members of the University Health Care Plan,” she added.
In line with this, she said that the University has no plans to order additional vaccines while deliveries are not yet complete. Soriano clarified that the University also cannot order vaccines directly from the supplier because orders were consolidated with member organizations of the Management Association of the Philippines through the International Container Terminal Services Inc. Foundation.
Curbing other challenges
Following the UVP vaccine rollout, Marquez said that the University implemented on-site provisions in line with the current community quarantine level in Metro Manila. These provisions entail entry protocols for individuals on campus, checks and balances for implementing the protocols, and a symptomatic-reporting system.
Additionally, he noted that protocols for on-site vaccination processes have been in the works since the University started its pandemic response in early 2020. “In this case, making sure that the protocols are consistently followed, we’ll ensure that we’ll avoid outbreaks from among our employees,” Marquez said.
Despite acknowledging that vaccination alone will not end the pandemic, Marquez also mentioned that vaccine hesitancy is still a prevalent issue because of the stigma surrounding certain vaccine brands.
“Sadly, we still have to effectively communicate the rationale for the vaccines, and the safety profile[s] of the vaccines. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin maalis ‘yung brand issues[…]. (Brand issues are still pervasive.) All vaccines work, they are effective in preventing serious illnesses or manifestations of COVID-19, and death from COVID-19,” he explained.
Marquez further encouraged individuals to be disciplined by caring for themselves and others in an effort to minimize the spread of the virus.
“We should be disciplined, we should be more caring for ourselves and for others as well. I think if we have that kind of an attitude then perhaps we should be able to manage this pandemic better, hopefully, to return to a more ‘new normal’,” he said.
