LAUA-AN, Antique – First doses of the vaccine against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been inoculated in over 100 residents here.
The beneficiaries of the free vaccines were frontline health workers – staff of the Rural Health Unit (RHU) and Barangay Health Emergency Response Team (BHERTs) – Barangay Nutrition Scholars and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office personnel.
Several senior citizens and persons with comorbidities (18 to 59 years old) were also vaccinated.
According to the RHU of Laua-an, as of May 18, 20 individuals received their first dose of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.
On the other hand, Sinovac’s vaccine (CoronaVax) was given to 26 individuals in May 11, 17 individuals on May 7, 30 individuals on April 23, and 15 individuals on April 27.
According to Dr. Wilmer Esmenos, RHU chief, the persons who received AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine need to wait from eight to 12 weeks to receive their second dose “to get fully vaccinated.”
Those who received CoronaVax, meanwhile, must wait for a month before getting their second dose.
Esmenos himself got AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine as a frontliner. He already completed his two doses.
Mayor Francisco Baladjay Jr. got his first dose of CoronaVax on May 14, RHU data showed. It was administered by Midwife Supervisor Nemia Bangcaya after he was screed by Esmenos.
Baladjay was classified a person with comorbidity. He hoped more residents of Laua-an would have themselves vaccinated against COVID-19.
He did not experience any adverse side effects, the mayor stressed./PN
