NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson will take the Sinovac anti-Covid-19 shots soon.

Lacson said he is waiting for word from Provincial Health Officer Dr. Ernell Tumimbang for the schedule of his vaccination, although he requested that he receive the vaccine alongside senior citizens.

"I'm currently waiting and I'm willing to have myself vaccinated with the Sinovac vaccine," Lacson said.

He said he is more than convinced that the Sinovac vaccine from China is effective and pointed out he can get the second dose in four weeks compared to the AstraZeneca vaccine, which takes at least eight to 12 weeks.

Lacson also said AstraZeneca vaccines ordered by the local government units are tentatively scheduled to arrive in July. If he took the AstraZeneca jab early, it would be difficult to see if additional supplies would be immediately available for the second dose.

The National Covid-19 Vaccination Operations Center of the Department of Health recently allowed local chief executives (LCEs) in areas deemed “critical and high risk” to be inoculated.

Only 28 LCEs in Western Visayas have been included in the government’s adjusted Covid-19 vaccination priority list. These included all governors in the region, one mayor from a highly urbanized city (Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia) and 21 other mayors from various towns and cities.