BACOLOD City-There were 20,000 doses anti coronavirus disease-2019(COVID-19) vaccines that will expire next month, in Bacolod City.
According to Em Ang, executive director of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) that these vaccines that will be expiring are Astra Zeneca, which was downloaded by the Department of Health (DOH) earlier.
The city sent several times a letter to the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) informing them to stop sending the COVID-19 vaccines to the adults because they have enough supplies, based on their inventory.
“Nagsulat na kami sa NVOC nga indi na kita pagpadal-an diri.Okay man na mabaton kita kon layo pa ang expiration pero ang mga near expiry indi na lang pagpadala sa aton because we can not possibly know kay dyutay na lang aton na kampanya ,mga boostered dose na man lang kay kadaku na sang aton coverage,”the EOC executive director said.
Ang added, bisan naga sulat kami nga indi na magbaton pero naga abot gihapon kag amo na ang aton dilemma.”
She further said that the national government told them that they are not allowed to refuse the vaccines send to them.
The city tried to offer the vaccines to other local government units but they refused due to enough supply also.
Ang said the city needs COVID-19 pediatric vaccines, particularly with a Pfizer brand because there are still many children that need to be vaccinated.
She emphasized that the city had enough supply of vaccines considering that the local government had purchased an Astra Zeneca of 650,000 doses.
Aside from the 20,000 doses that will expire in April, there are also COVID-19 vaccines at the storage facility here that is near to expire on May (40,000); July (5,000); and August (10,000) doses, said the City Health officer-in-charge Edwin Miraflor./PN
