BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The vaccination rate of medical frontliners assigned in Negros Occidental and local government unit-managed hospitals is more than 100 percent, according to Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz.
Diaz said Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson is elated that hospitals in the provinces exceeded the target of vaccinations set for them.
The Department of Health earlier gave a deadline of March 24 for all health care facilities serving as inoculation sites for COVID-1, to finish administering the first doses of AstraZeneca vaccines.
Otherwise, the DOH would take back the vaccines and distribute them in Metro Manila, that is now experiencing a spike in cases, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
Diaz said that vaccines, either AstraZeneca or Sinovac, have already been distributed to all government hospitals in Negros Occidental.
He added that the provincial government of Negros Occidental will now be on the next level of vaccination, for barangay health workers and personnel of rural health units, estimated at about 35,000.
“Our Provincial Health Office, disaster unit and local government units are now ready, with vaccinators and their respective assignments are already identified,” Diaz said.
“On the day of the vaccination, we will deliver the exact doses of vaccines, and administer them on the same day,” he added.
A total of 2,899 medical front liners have already been vaccinated with Sinovac and AstraZeneca, based on the report of Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang.*