More Sinovac vaccines arrive in Negros Occ.

By Dolly Yasa

 

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental received 16,000 vials of Sinovac vaccines on Friday while Bacolod City got 7,480 vials from the Department of Health.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang said that 8,000 more clients will be inoculated by the vaccines, with the remaining 8,000 to be kept for second doses.

The 7,480 vials of Sinovac for Bacolod City that arrived April 30 at the Bacolod-Silay airport were immediately brought to the city government cold storage facility, according to city health officer-in-charge Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr.

Around 31,000 health care workers (HCWs) in Negros Occidental are targeted for vaccination by the Provincial Health Office, Tumimbang said.

With the arrival of more COVID-19 vaccines, Negros Occidental local chief executives (LCEs) who are senior citizens led by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, trooped to the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City for vaccination.

Tumimbang said the LCEs and some provincial government officials got the first dose of Sinovac vaccines.

Escalante City Mayor Melecio “Beboy” Yap was the first mayor of Negros Occidental to be vaccinated by Sinovac.

Tumimbang said that some mayors have deferred their inoculation, pending advice from their doctors.

But he advised them not to prolong their decision since Negros Occidental is included in the risk classification of DOH.

Tumimbang confirmed that the vaccination of Hinobaan Mayor Ernesto Estrao did not push through because of hypertension.

Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante Jr. also enjoined senior citizens in his town to avail of the vaccination, citing a very low acceptance from them.

Escalante, 64, said he did not feel any adverse effects after his vaccination.

Aside from Lacson, provincial officials who received their first dose of Sinovac vaccine Friday are Mayors John Rhey Tabujara of Cauayan, Rhumyla Nicor-Mangilimutan of La Castellana and Nicolas Yulo- Bago City.