Quezon city mayor Joy Belmonte ordered the immediate inoculation of the remaining 536 police officers of the Quezon City Police District who have yet to receive a vaccine against the 2019 Coronavirus Disease.
Belmonte gave the order after 82 QCPD personnel tested positive for COVID-19, and brought to HOPE facilities in Quezon City.
The 82 QCPD personnel consists of 74 uniformed personnel, four civilian employees, and four police aides from QCPD Station 3, Police Community Precinct 1, and Police Community Precinct 2.
The local government unit of Quezon City said that 54 of the COVID-19 infected police personnel lives in the city.
Out of the 82 infected police personnel, 57 have been fully vaccinated, two have received their first dose, while 23 have yet to receive any dose of vaccine against COVID-19.
As part of the precautionary measures, the remaining 102 police officers and non-uniformed personnel of QCPD Station 3 will undergo a swab test anew after a week.
42 police officers have been placed under isolation at a quarantine facility at Camp Karingal in Quezon City after they have been identifed as close contacts of the infected personnel.
The remaining 60 police personnel will remain on duty at the station but they cannot leave or return home until the results of their COVID-19 swab test comes out.
"Ito ang paraan natin para masiguro na hindi kakalat ang virus," QCPD Deputy Director for Administration PCol. Ferdinand Navarro said in a statement.
"Nagpapasalamat tayo sa Quezon City Government sa kanilang maagap na testing sa ating hanay at ang mabilis na pagtugon sa mga natuklasang kinapitan ng Covid-19," Navarro added.
The Quezon City government, meanwhile, promised to provide at least 10 days worth of food for around 220 persons under police custody in QCPD Station 3, Police Community Precinct 1, and Police Community Precinct 2.
The local government unit said that the QCPD Station 3, Police Community Precinct 1, and Police Community Precinct 2 will temporarily not receive any visitors.
The persons under police custody will also undergo contact tracing to determine possible exposure of their visitors.
The Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office will also conduct disinfection and decontamination procedures in QCPD Station 3 and in the two community precincts.
Philippine National Police chief PGen. Guillermo Eleazar also assured that the remaining QCPD personnel underwent focused testing in order to identify, isolate and provide necessary medical assistance for all those who may have been infected by COVID-19.
