Around 2,500 college students in Tarlac province received their first dose of Moderna vaccine this Saturday morning (October 23, 2021) at Tarlac State University Gymnasium.
This is the first province-wide vaccination program among state universities and colleges (SUCs) in Central Luzon which is intended primarily for Tarlac State University, Tarlac Agricultural University, and other college students residing in Tarlac.
This program is launched through the initiative of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in cooperation with the Provincial Government of Tarlac, City Government of Tarlac, and TSU themed “Padyak para sa Flexible Learning: Sama-samang Vaccination Program for Tertiary Students.”
According to Tarlac City mayor Hon. Cristy Angeles, the vaccines are from the Department of Health and were handed over to the City Government.
In an interview, TSU president Dr. Myrna Q. Mallari said the TSU gym will be open for a second batch which can accommodate 15,000 students from TSU and 7,000 students from TAU in two weeks’ time. Tarlac province accomplishes 10,000 jabs per day, according to Department of Health Region III director Dr. Corazon Flores.
Among the students who received the first dose is Richelle Ann Borja, 22, a 4th year TSU Nursing student.
“Dahil sa vaccination, ready na kami to have face-to-face learning dahil kailangan talaga na magkaroon kami ng ganito dahil we’re handling lives. And through this vaccination, mahalaga na dapat protected kami at protected din ‘yung mga soon-to-be patients namin na aming hahawakan,” Borja said in an interview.
Borja said she is the first to be vaccinated in their family.
“Excited na po ako na magkaroon ng face-to-face learning para ‘yung proper care na kakailanganin ng mga pasyente ay maibigay namin na kailangang i-perform sa mga lab at mahirap pong matutunan sa modules at online class,” Borja further said.
CHED chairperson Dr. J. Prospero “Popoy” De Vera III said that the government should add vaccination sites to facilitate faster roll-out for students. Chair De Vera said they are targeting to vaccinate more students by the end of November 2021.
Tarlac province is the first in Northern Luzon to vaccinate students under this CHED program following the vaccination for student-athletes last October 20 at the CHED auditorium in Quezon City and tertiary students in Cabuyao, Laguna.
