- *MITCH M. LIPA
The Negros Occidental provincial government has noted an increase in its vaccination rate against COVID due to the high acceptance of the Pfizer vaccine among Negrenses, Provincial Administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, said.
He said they will take advantage of the big supply of Pfizer vaccines and pursue the full vaccination in two weeks’ time so the supply will all be consumed.
Diaz said the Provincial Health Office wants to inoculate as many as 40,000 Negrenses per week or 8,000 per day in the towns and cities of the province.
Negros Occidental received 107,000 doses of Pfizer Oct. 4, and an additional delivery of 53,000 doses Oct. 9.
In a meeting attended by Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, the members of the Emergency Operations Center of the province, and provincial consultant Albee Benitez Tuesday, Diaz said it was reported that, for several days, the number of Negrenses administered with Pfizer vaccine ranged from 6,000 to 10,000, covering the whole province.
“From October 5 when we started the rollout, we have a 90 percent to 100 percent utilization rate for Pfizer. It’s like a hot cake. So while the demand is there for Pfizer, we will use that vaccine since we have enough supply of it,” Diaz said.
The Capitol has fully vaccinated nearly 300,000 Negrenses, or roughly 15 percent of the target population for inoculation.
But while the province focuses on its vaccination rollout, contact tracing and rapid antigen testing (RAT) will also continue, although not as aggressive. Both the RT-PCR and RAT results are required by some local government units.
Diaz added that since last week, the PHO has started administering the first dose of COVID vaccines to the general population, except for minors since the province is still waiting for guidelines from the Department of Health.
The province is ready to vaccinate 12 to 17 years old Negrenses once the DOH gives the go-signal, he added.
Diaz also said his office received a lot of requests for booster shots, particularly from medical frontliners, who feel that they need the added protection since they are rendering service in hospitals. But he said the province cannot grant the request for booster shots for now since the DOH has yet to decide on it. — MML
