- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Department of Health Western Visayas Center for Health Development commended Bacolod City Sept. 24 for being a “Resbakuna champion”, particularly on its initiative to reach out to target vaccine recipients through the “Vax-i” mobile vaccination.
The city government has five Vax-i buses driving around Bacolod, with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers on board, who administer COVID-19 vaccines to workers in the marginalized sectors.
“The fight against COVID-19 is a race against time. The Vax-i is another way to accelerate our vaccination program,” Mayor Evelio Leonardia said.
The Emergency Operations Center said that 131,132 priority Bacolodnons have been fully inoculated against the coronavirus disease, as of Sept. 22.
The number included 34,349 Bacolodnons vaccinated with the single-dose Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen, and 96,783 residents, who already received their second dose.
The EOC said 288,649 vaccines of various brands have been administered, as of Sept. 22.
Bacolod has been proactively offering several flexible methods to get the COVID jabs.
These include barangay and cluster vaccination, mall-based vaccination at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, CityMall Goldenfield, CityMall Mandalagan, Gaisano City, Robinsons Place, and SM City; graveyard shift vaccination drive for graveyard/night-duty BPO workers – the only one of its kind in the country; drive-thru vaccination sites at Ayala Malls Capitol Central; the 24/7 vaccination drive at Jollibee Gatuslao and Jollibee East; and the Vax-i mobile vaccination drive.
“We have to search for vaccinees. If our citizens cannot go to our vaccination center, our vaccination center – thru the Vax-i buses – will go to them,” Leonardia said during the ceremonial launch Sept. 13 of the fifth Vax-i bus, the third vehicle provided for the city government’s use by Vallacar Transit Inc., operator of Ceres buses, headed by its chief executive officer Leo Rey Yanson.
The first-ever Vax-i bus, a repurposed city tourist bus, was launched Aug. 13. The other bus was provided by Merzci Pasalubong of businessman Jonathan Lo.
The Vax-i bus will be at Grandville 1 Subdivision, Mansilingan from 9 a.m. to noon today, Sept. 25, and at the CL Montelibano, Shopping Area from 3 to 5 o’clock this afternoon.
The DOH, in commending the mobile vaccination campaign of the Bacolod City government, noted that it seeks to inoculate vendors, jeepney drivers, and stall owners against COVID.
“Mabibigyan ng pagkakataong mabakunahan ang mga kababayan nating Bacolodnons na kailangang kumayod araw-araw at wala nang sapat na oras para pumunta sa mga vaccination sites. Sa Bacolod, hindi ka mapapagod! Dahil ang bakuna ay ihahatid sa’yo!,” the DOH stressed. –CGC
