More than 200k persons get COVID-19 vaccines

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

More than 200,000 individuals in Western Visayas have received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of June 5, 2021.

The number is based on the figures released by the Department of Health-Western Visayas Center for Health Development (DOH-WV CHD) through its online program Isyung Bakuna on Monday.

Dr. Bea Camille Fillaro-Natalaray, Medical Officer V of the DOH-WV CHD, said 244,623 persons have been vaccinated so far, including 71,548 who already got their second dose of the vaccine.

The total inoculation number accounts for 17.54 percent of the 1,386,185 persons under vaccine priority group A in the region.

Vaccinees include 90,975 from A1 (workers in frontline health services), 83,754 from A2 (all senior citizens), and 66,025 from A3 (persons with comorbidities).

Natalaray said that there was still no word from the DOH’s central office in Manila as to when vaccinations will start for eligible members of priority cluster A4.

According to the DOH’s COVID-19 Vaccination Program’s prioritization framework, the A4 group includes frontline personnel in essential sectors, including uniformed personnel.

Members of the media and legal professions have also been identified as part of this priority group, as well as those who are self-employed in essential sectors and who are not included in the higher priority groups.

“In the delivery for vaccines for A4, currently we don’t have advice from the central office to be given vaccines for A4, and the vaccines being sent here is allotted for A1 to A3. We are just starting with A4 vaccination in NCR and 8 other areas,” Natalaray said.

By area, Iloilo province has conducted the most vaccinations with 67,178 receiving at least the first dose, with 16,519 already received the second dose.

The inoculation rates in other areas are:

– Negros Occidental (44,713 total; 10,177 second dose);

– Iloilo City (41,921 total; 12,159 second dose);

– Bacolod City (24,806 total; 7,799 second dose);

– Capiz (22,556 total; 7,462 second dose);

– Antique (18,423 total; 6,638 second dose);

– Aklan (17,989 total; 8,094 second dose); and

– Guimaras (7,037 total; 2,700 second dose).

According to the Office of Civil Defense-Region 6 (OCD-6), which handles logistics of COVID-19 vaccines in the region, more Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines are set to arrive today, June 8.

59,400 doses will arrive at the Iloilo International Airport and 23,400 doses at the Bacolod-Silay International Airport simultaneously.

The 23,400 doses that arrived at the Bacolod-Silay airport include 7,000 for Bacolod City and 16,400 for Negros Occidental.