Med, nursing students can volunteer as vaccinators

Medical and nursing students, including interns and clinical clerks, can now volunteer as vaccinators in the country's COVID-19 immunization program under a joint memorandum circular from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Health (DOH).

CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera III emphasized that these additional personnel are crucial for accelerating the vaccination rollout and achieving herd immunity within two months, especially with the upcoming National Vaccination Days.

House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco stated that allowing medical and nursing students to volunteer as vaccinators provides a major boost to the government's mission of inoculating 90 percent of the population.

Velasco also proposed tapping nursing graduates who have yet to take the board examinations as complementary manpower amid a shortage of health workers, provided they work under supervision.

The government plans to administer 15 million vaccine doses during the National Vaccination Days from November 29 to December 1.

CHED has been advocating for school-based vaccination and currently has 61 higher education institutions serving as vaccination centers to boost the vaccination of college students, as only about 30% of the target number have been vaccinated so far.