BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACLOD City – The local governments of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City received additional AstraZeneca vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) yesterday morning.
The vaccines were part of the two million shipments received by the country on Saturday from the COVAX facility.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Negros Occidental received a total of 3,080 vials of AstraZeneca vaccines, while 1,680 were delivered to Bacolod.
The shipment arrived around 8:32 a.m. at the Bacolod-Silay Airport via a Cebu Pacific flight from Manila.
Diaz said the vials were equivalent to 30,800 doses.
“Medyo dako-dako nga supply ‘ni ang na receive ‘ta from the national government,” Diaz said.
The AstraZeneca vaccines will be used to inoculate Negrenses aged 55 years and above.
Diaz said they can’t use the AstraZeneca vaccines on people aged 18 to 55 as they have not yet been cleared as safe for that particular age group.
“Until we get the clearance, the AstraZeneca vaccines will be used sa aton mga kautoran nga naga edad 55 years old and above lang,” Diaz stressed.
As to the situation of the province’s COVID-19 vaccination program, Diaz said the province is not lagging behind in the program. They are currently inoculating those under the A1 (healthcare workers) to A2 (elderly) category. Bacolod City, meanwhile, is already inoculating those under the A3 (persons with comorbidities) category.
Diaz said those who have already registered with the provincial government for vaccination must be prepared as they could receive word of their turn within the next few days.
“We have no problems with the vaccination plan, [except] for the supply of vaccines,” he added./PN
