BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – More than 14,500 Sinovac jabs have been distributed to local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental since the adoption of a new vaccination system.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said they recorded 100 percent utilization of the vaccines, and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson expressed elation over the success of the new system.
Under the new system, the Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) itself makes the deliveries to the LGUs. The LGUs then administer the vaccines, while the unused ones are returned. The new system eliminates vaccine spoilage, according to the PIMT.
Diaz added LGUs have stepped up their vaccination campaign, and are given additional allocations when performing well.
By June 28 to July 2, Diaz said they will start utilizing the 1,950 vials of Pfizer vaccines received last week.
However, Diaz said the Pfizer vaccine inoculations will only be conducted in this city and at the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City, as these are the only vaccination sites in the province that have Ultra Low Freezers.
“To prevent the risk of poor handling and spoilage of our [Pfizer] vaccines, this is the system we have adopted as a consensus by the Provincial Health Office, Hospital Operations Division, and the governor,” Diaz explained.
A meeting was also held yesterday afternoon in preparation for the Pfizer inoculations on Monday.
The LGUs in the province, meanwhile, were only given until yesterday afternoon to submit names of individuals to receive the Pfizer vaccine.
The 1,950 vials is equivalent to 11,700 doses, enough to vaccinate 5,850 people./PN
