COVID VAX JAB. Inoculation of senior citizens in Dumaguete City continues as it moves forward to the A3 priority sector comprising persons with comorbidities. Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, DOH-7 chief pathologist, on Friday (June 18, 2021), however, said there is still no word for additional vaccines for Negros Oriental. (File photo from the Lupad Dumaguete Facebook page/city PIO)
DUMAGUETE CITY – The chief pathologist of the Department of Health in Region 7 (DOH-7) on Friday said they have not yet received a fresh supply of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines for Central Visayas.
Dr. Mary Jean Loreche issued the statement during a Zoom lecture with the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Association of Dumaguete and Negros Oriental, where she discussed Covid-19 variants, vaccines, and vaccine deployment plan.
Negros Oriental is now one of the country’s high-risk areas with a current surge in Covid-19 cases, Loreche said.
She said while there is a pronouncement from the national government that Negros Oriental will be given a priority in the delivery and allocation of vaccines.
Once the vaccines arrive from the national vaccine operations center, these can be sent directly to Negros Oriental. If coursed through the regional office in Region 7, “you are also assured that whatever is allocated for you will also be given to you,” Loreche said.
President Rodrigo Duterte, who declared that Negros Oriental be placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) from June 16-30, also ordered the deployment of more vaccines to areas that have the highest number of Covid-19 cases.
Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion, Covid-19 incident commander of the Negros Oriental Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), in a virtual press briefing Thursday afternoon, said the inoculation rollout is picking up but still, some local government units are slow in administering these vaccines to the people.
The province is now moving toward the A3 sector covering persons with comorbidities even as senior citizens are still being accommodated under A2, she said.
Estacion reported that as of June 18, a total of 23,618 front-liners have received the first dose of vaccine while 12,724 also got their second dose.
For senior citizens, 6,409 were administered their first dose and 2,919 their second dose.
The province of Negros Oriental has received a total of 48,124 doses of both Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines while Dumaguete City also received a separate delivery of 10,000 doses. (PNA)
