Cor Jesu College supports the COVID-19 vaccination program of the local government of Digos City as it opened its gates to become the second vaccination center in the city.
As the vaccination campaign against COVID-19 continues its broad roll-out for the citizens of Digos, qualified persons under the categories of A1 for the medical frontliners, and A2 for senior citizens flock at the CJC gymnasium as it started accommodating the people in the priority list last May 14, 2021.
Earlier this year, the city health office started its vaccination drive. Medical frontliners and senior citizens gathered in the city gym to have their injections. However, the LGU wanted to be aggressive in its vaccination to achieve herd immunity. According to Nicole R. Delgado, City Health Officer, the city government aims to accommodate 200 to 300 people per day so it led to the idea of having another vaccination center.
Since it requires to have enough space to accommodate many people, she requested that CJC Gym will be its second vaccination center. The school administrator being very vocal in offering help to the LGU in carrying out the vaccination drive granted the request of transforming its gym into a vaccination center.
From then on, vaccination is held in CJC Gym. The City Health Office provides all the necessary equipment for the vaccination. As needed, the school clinic also provides medical tools. Some of the clinical instructors of the College of Health and Sciences of CJC are present in the said center every day to assist the vaccination.
As of June 4, 2021, there are already 1,500 people vaccinated. This number is expected to rise everyday since this partnership of CJC and LGU will continue until herd immunity is achieved. According to Estela A. Chua, the school nurse, “For now the ones vaccinated are only those in categories A1 and A2, but the support of CJC will continue until the general population will be vaccinated.”
The residents who received their vaccines now feel safe especially that there is a surge of number of cases. Miriam Vivienleigh S. Mori, CJC-SHS assistant principal and a resident under the A2 category said, “I feel safer now that I am vaccinated with AstraZeneca (first dose). COVID is real that is why it is imperative that every citizen must be vaccinated.” She also expressed her appreciation to the CJC administration in living its values by allowing the city government to use its gymnasium for vaccination. She articulated, “CJC is really living up to its pillars of excellence, community, and apostleship. The use of the CJC Gym provides the people of Digos City with a secure and comfortable place for vaccination activities. CJC’s allowing the use of the gym as a vaccination center is indeed a great service to the community.”
These residents who received their vaccines were able to avail the vaccination because they were listed by the Barangay Health Workers (BHW). Before the start of the vaccination drive, BHWs went around the city and conducted a survey on its residents to determine the people who qualified for A1 and A2 categories. After the survey, they endorsed the list of those who qualified for the vaccines. Then, the list was provided to the respective barangays indicating which vaccination center they will receive their vaccine.
Also, after the vaccination of the residents who fall under the categories of A1and A2, other residents who belong to categories A3, A4, A5, and so on will be vaccinated. The city will then make an announcement about it and another round of surveys will be conducted to list the qualified residents.
It is expected that in the next days to come several Digoseños will flock to the CJC Gym. Many people are expected to be vaccinated in the mentioned center, especially that the City Health Office just considered two vaccination centers and those are in the city gym and CJC gym.
Credits: Special thanks to Digos City Vice Mayor Atty. Johari Baña and City Councilor Badong Dumogho for the pictures in this article. Digos City Mayor Josef Fortich Cagas, Vice Mayor Atty. Johari Baña, and City Councilor Salvador “Badong” Dumogho III are all CJC alumni.
