BACOLOD City – Beginning today, walk-in vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in all mall inoculation venues in this city is no longer allowed.
Priority residents crowded a mall here yesterday disregarding physical distancing.
“(We) will not be able to cater to walk-ins anymore,” said City Administrator Em Ang, executive director of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
Ang said the crowding happened outside SM City.
“We tried to disperse the crowd (but) unfortunately they were not cooperative. There were also eight policemen… The security and marshals of the mall tried to disperse them but they did not follow,” she said.
Ang also attributed the crowding to the delay of the arrival of Sinovac anti-COVID jabs.
According to Ang, several individuals who were supposedly scheduled to receive their second dose of vaccination last week were put on hold and thus rescheduled yesterday.
With this, Ang recommended those would want to avail themselves of the free vaccination to go to their barangay vaccination centers.
“We urge the public to wait to be notified of their schedule thru text by the vaccination team,” Ang added.
Last week, the EOC allowed individuals under the priority groups A2 (senior citizens), A3 (persons with comorbidities), and A1.8 (overseas Filipino workers) to get vaccinated against COVID-19 on a walk-in basis here.
All they have to do is present proof that they belong to the priority groups – for senior citizens, their senior citizen’s ID; for persons with comorbidities, a medical certificate stating their comorbidity; and for OFWs, their agency contract or certification.
To note, the COVID-19 Vaccination Council is rolling out the Johnson & Johnson vaccines at the SMX Convention Center, Ayala Malls Capitol Central, and Robinsons Place./PN
