Some 887 personnel of the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (300rd IBde) and its two line battalions in Negros Occidental are now fully-vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Data provided by the 303rd IBde on Monday showed that as of Sept. 18, those vaccinated comprise 98 percent of the troops assigned within its area of operations.

These include 76 troops (99 percent) stationed at the brigade headquarters in Murcia town, including those from the 14th Civil-Military Operations Battalion; 345 personnel (99 percent) of the 79th Infantry Battalion based in Sagay City; and 466 troops (95 percent) under the 62 Infantry Battalion in Isabela town.

In a statement, Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, commanding officer of the 303rd IBde, said they are grateful to the local government units, including the Negros Occidental provincial government, for allocating vaccines for military personnel.

“Being vaccinated allows us to carry out our duties of serving the people and securing the land especially the Negrenses. Our troops will make good use of this opportunity to confidently and carefully bestow our duties as we jointly seek an end to this pandemic,” he added.

The Army troops were inoculated with either Sinovac’s CoronaVac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Janssen vaccine.

Before vaccination, the 303rd IBde briefed its personnel through the troops’ information and education program to address issues, concerns and apprehension of soldiers about being vaccinated. (PNA)