CABANATUAN CITY — At least 142 employees of the National Irrigation Administration-Upper Pampanga River Integrated Irrigation Systems (NIA-UPRIIS) took their first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in a mass inoculation drive conducted by the Nueva Ecija provincial government through the provincial health office here on Tuesday.

NIA-UPRIIS department manager Engr. Rosalinda B. Bote said the activity was conducted with the NEPG led by Gov. Aurelio M. Umali immediately granting their request for inoculation amid a surge in infections triggered by the Delta-variant COVID-19 virus.

Out of the 239 allocated AstraZeneca vaccines here, a total of 142 UPRIIS staff members and employees belonging to the A3 and A4 priority groups were vaccinated during the activity held at the Farmers’ Training Center inside the UPRIIS compound. The second dose of the vaccine is scheduled to be given on November 3, 2021.

Bote said the mass vaccination was undertaken by members of the PHO led by Drs. Josefina Garcia and Evangeline Halili assisted by in-house medical nurses from the UPRIIS head and division offices.

Prior to the activity, Bote said the provincial disaster risk and reduction management office headed by Michael Calma also conducted on Sept. 6 a general disinfection of all its offices including the gymnasium in compliance with the directives of NIA chief Ricardo R. Visaya to ensure a safe working environment for their workers and farmers-clientele against the virus.

The UPRIIS official thanked the governor, the PHO and the PDRRMO for the support and services provided to them during the two-day disinfection and vaccination activity.

It was learned that a total of 20 irrigation personnel have so far been infected of the virus. The 13 positives were from the regional office while seven came from the UPRIIS-District 1 office.

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Steve A. Gosuico