Nearly 5,000 children five to 11 years old have been registered for the expanded pediatric vaccination against the coronavirus disease that will kick off Feb. 14 in several hospitals in Bacolod City.
Bacolod Emergency Operations Center deputy executive director, Dr. Chris Sorongon, said the number does not include the students registered by their schools, particularly private ones, who are also waiting for their schedule of vaccination.
The registration of elementary students in private schools was through the help of the Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural and Education Association.
Sorongon said that those waiting for their schedules are students of St. Johns Institute with nearly a thousand preregistered, Trinity Christian School with around 400 students, and the Bacolod Tay Tung High School, and St. Scholastica’s Academy with almost 700 vaccine seekers.
He said the Bacolod EOC is cautious in giving schedules to the schools and other vaccination centers since they have to wait for the evaluation report of the inoculation in the hospitals Feb. 14, to check if there will be adverse reactions after immunization.
“If the Monday rollout will turn out to be fine, the positive result will serve as bandwagon effect and other kids will follow,” Sorongon said.
The hospitals for the inoculation of minors include the Riverside Medical Center, Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital, and the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital. There will also be a rollout at the Bacolod City Health Office.
Those who have pre-registered will be informed by the EOC on when and what hospital to go to get the shots. This is to ensure that health protocols are complied with since Bacolod City is still on Alert Level 3 until Feb. 15, Sorongon said. — MML
