Seventy-three percent of Senate employees have been vaccinated against COVID-19, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said Tuesday, as the chamber moves to inoculate all employees to ensure continuous legislative work.
The Senate prioritized about 1,800 employees for its vaccination rollout which began over two weeks ago, with health workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities working in the chamber getting the first in line.
Sotto said the remaining 27% who have not been vaccinated include the senators themselves.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri hoped that all members of the Senate community could be vaccinated before they open the Third Regular Session of the 18th Congress in July.
"Hopefully when we return, we'll be fully vaccinated and we'll be able to do more work during the budget deliberations that will need plenary discussions," he said.
Senator Sonny Angara also hailed the vaccination of the chamber's employees, saying that it "contributes directly to the efficiency of our work."
As of May 12, over 2 million Filipinos have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while more 565,000 have been fully vaccinated, according to data from the Department of Health.
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