BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
COVID-19 Alert Level 1 has been extended to May 31 by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson in seven local government units of Negros Occidental.
Still under Alert Level 1 are the cities of La Carlota, Victorias and Sagay, as well as the municipalities of EB Magalona, Pulupandan, San Enrique and Candoni, all in Negros Occidental.
The highly urbanized Bacolod City also remains under Alert Level 1, according to the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF).
The IATF however placed Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental under Alert Level 2.
The Alert Level 1 allows intrazonal and interzonal travel regardless of age and comorbidities, and all establishments, persons, or activities to operate, work at full on-site capacity subject to minimum public health standards.
Lacson said he will try to increase the number of LGUs under Alert Level 1,but he also stressed the need for LGUs with low vaccination rates to focus in the inoculation campaign, especially now that the election campaign is already over.
He admitted that the vaccination rate in the province for senior citizens, or those in the A2 category, remains low.
At the same time, Lacson is also pushing for booster shots among Negrenses. As of May 16, Negros Occidental has 10 COVID-19 active cases, with two additional cases reported yesterday by the Provincial Incident Management Team.*
