‘We rely on the PNP to enforce all laws and local ordinances that will help the general population in the fight against this pandemic, and as frontliners policemen should be the first to maintain their health and strength needed by the enforcement side of this public health campaign.’
IT IS sad that Philippine National Police chief Dionardo Carlos has been temporarily sidelined by COVID-19 and will have to take a mandatory recovery rest and isolation in the meantime.
The chief PNP’s duty driver and close-in security staff also tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and the infection must have been transmitted by carriers inside the official residence of the police general in Camp Crame.
This is ironic because Gen. Carlos is one official who has been vigorously advocating for strict observance of health protocols such as wearing of face masks, face shields, social distancing, and personal hygiene as a precaution against the virus.
In fact, he has just reminded police officers to take their booster shots as long as they were available, and for the few stragglers in the PNP ranks to have the initial jabs right away. He said the PNP understood the hesitation of several cops who declined vaccination, but the resurgence of COVID-19 should underscore that “there is a pressing need to protect ourselves from the severe effects of the virus.”
“We continue to educate our PNP personnel regarding the benefits of having their booster jabs. In the same way that we were able to convince them to get their Anti-COVID vaccines, we will still follow such a strategy,” Carlos said.
The PNP’s 215,801 personnel have been fully vaccinated while 8,775 have received their first dose and some 1,534 remain unvaccinated. The PNP’s active COVID-19 cases is now 57 after recording eight new infections. They have three new recoveries while the death toll is still at 125 nationwide.
We rely on the PNP to enforce all laws and local ordinances that will help the general population in the fight against this pandemic, and as frontliners policemen should be the first to maintain their health and strength needed by the enforcement side of this public health campaign.
Let us support our cops in their routine peace and order efforts, and most especially in their fight against the pandemic by cooperating and providing information about violators of health protocols.
