570 show up in 2nd wave of PH team COVID vaccination

Jaja Santiago and Mylene Paat show their vaccinated deltoids after receiving their second COVID-19 vaccines. Ivan Saldajeno

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Although not as many as those who came in the first phase, a huge contingent still arrived in bunches during the second round of COVID-19 vaccination put up by the Philippine Olympic Committee on Friday at the Manila Prince Hotel.

As of 4:30 p.m., about 570 people consisting of national athletes, officials, and sports reporters came at the said hotel's function hall to get inoculated, most of whom receiving their second dose of Sinovac vaccines.

Despite the second wave specially catered for those who were to be inoculated again, some sportsmen who were only getting their first dose were accommodated too.

The total count on Friday is less than the estimated 730 people who got their first dose during the first vaccination proceeding on June 28.

Most of those who missed the second round have understandable reasons.

In the case of Gilas Pilipinas, whose players and coaching staff got their first dose last month, the coaches and the players chosen by Head Coach Tab Baldwin have already arrived in Belgrade ahead of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament there.

Five players who were not in the "Final 12", however, still got their second dose, namely Javi Gomez De Liano, Jaydee Tungcab, Tzaddy Rangel, Kenmark Carino, and Dave Ildefonso.

Jaydee Tungcab and Javi Gomez De Liano, who stayed in the Philippines after missing the Gilas cut for the FIBA OQT, get their second vaccines. Ivan Saldajeno

POC president Bambol Tolentino said last month that the national athletes can opt to take their vaccines in the areas where they are based right now, which favors those who either returned to their hometowns or are currently in their training bubbles elsewhere since they can get their second dose where they are now.

The vaccination drive is part of the POC's initiative to adhere to the Vietnamese Olympic Committee's ruling that all the participants in the upcoming Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi must be inoculated first.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno