DAVAO CITY – Unvaccinated employees of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) here are required to undergo mandatory swab tests starting November 9, its chief said Friday.
In a virtual press briefing, Dr. Ricardo Audan said he released a memorandum requiring the unvaccinated personnel to be swabbed weekly to protect not only the patients but the other employees, as well.
“We are trying our best to convince them. We will not fire them but they will be swabbed weekly,” he said.
Audan said the SPMC has 5,686 employees and 67 of them, or 1.17 percent, have not yet been vaccinated.
“However, the intent is okay. Some are not yet vaccinated because they are pregnant and because of their religious belief,” he added.
He also said their employees could avail of the swab test for free until December but will have to pay starting January next year.
Mayor Sara Z. Duterte has earlier ordered the mandatory vaccination of all city government employees until November 30.
Those who fail to comply could face stiff sanctions, such as dismissal from the service and non-renewal of contracts.
Asked if they might adopt a similar policy in the future, Audan said, “We are contemplating on that. If you are in the hospital working, you must be protected. We have to be role models to our patients and clients.”
He, however, assured that they have not yet discussed the matter as he is optimistic that the remaining unvaccinated employees would soon decide to get inoculated.
As of November 4, nine SPMC personnel have tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), bringing the total active cases to 182.
“They are all mild cases and on quarantine. It is very nice that SPMC has only a 1.94 percent positivity rate. We usually went to 70 percent. Our recoveries are at 86.42 percent,” Audan said.
“About 83 percent of Covid-19 cases that were admitted are all unvaccinated and those who died are 100 percent unvaccinated.”
