Bacolodnons urged to be vaccinated as city government assures readiness

BACOLOD. (From right) Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, City Administrator and Emergency Operations Center Task Force Executive Director Em Ang, Councilor Renecito Novero and Deputy for Medical Data and Analysis Dr. Chris Sorongon observe the actual vaccination of a participant during the dry run on the city government’s Covid-19 vaccination program in Barangay Villamonte Gymnasium in the city Friday, February 5, 2021. (Photo by Erwin P. Nicavera)
BACOLOD. (From right) Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, City Administrator and Emergency Operations Center Task Force Executive Director Em Ang, Councilor Renecito Novero and Deputy for Medical Data and Analysis Dr. Chris Sorongon observe the actual vaccination of a participant during the dry run on the city government’s Covid-19 vaccination program in Barangay Villamonte Gymnasium in the city Friday, February 5, 2021. (Photo by Erwin P. Nicavera)

AS THE Bacolod City Government assured readiness for its coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccination program, there is still a challenge to make it acceptable to more Bacolodnons.

Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Task Force Deputy for Medical Data and Analysis Dr. Chris Sorongon, on the sidelines of the dry run on the city government’s Covid-19 vaccination program at Barangay Villamonte Gymnasium in the city Friday, February 5, 2021, said the vaccine is on its way and the city already has orders for storage facilities.

Sorongon said the very challenge is still for people, for the city residents, to volunteer to be vaccinated.

“What shall we do to the 650,000 doses intended for 325,000 people if there’s no one willing to be vaccinated,” he said, adding that there’s a need to continue educating the public about the government’s vaccination program.

Based on the survey conducted earlier by the barangay council, some 12,000 residents have already expressed willingness to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

The city government earlier allotted P300 million for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who earlier entered a confidentiality agreement and a multilateral agreement with AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals for the advance procurement of the vaccine, assured that the city is willing to make adjustments like realigning the budget if needed.

The non-disclosure agreement covers the proposed business arrangements for the availability and distribution of the vaccine while the multilateral agreement is between and among AstraZeneca, the national government through the National Task Force Against Covid-19, the Department of Health and the Bacolod City Government.

Sorongon said Friday's dry run and simulation exercises will assure the public that the vaccination program is "in place and that we would like to provide them with a safe and secure vaccine to protect them from Covid-19.”

He said the activity enabled the local government to identify areas for improvement, including the preparation of cold rooms and storage facilities and the need for more volunteers if the city opens more vaccination centers.

“We wanted to assure the public that Bacolod City is ready once the vaccine arrives,” the official added.

About 50 volunteer-residents participated in the simulation activities aimed at testing the systems and strategies of the city's vaccination program.

The city used an anti-flu vaccine for the mock vaccination attended by other members of the Bacolod Covid-19 Vaccination (CoVac) Council.

The procedures included the pick-up and transport of vaccines from the central cold storage facility and other supplies to designated vaccination areas.

City Administrator Em Ang, who was also at the activity, said prior to the actual inoculation, participants passed through registration and vital signs checking. The data will be logged in a quick response (QR)-coded vaccination card.

Ang, also the executive director of the EOC Task Force, said after the actual vaccination, the person will proceed to the observation room.

“They will be monitored for at least 30 to 45 minutes if there are any adverse effects,” she said, adding that this activity will help the team in “measuring” the total amount of time needed for the whole process so vaccinators can adjust if necessary.

Aside from the disinfection of venues and subsequent disposal of infectious wastes, also part of the vaccination process is the 72-hour follow-up observation of vaccine recipients at their homes.

For 31-year-old Robert Bani-bani of Barangay Villamonte, he's not afraid to participate in the vaccination dry run.

“It will be for all of us,” Bani-bani said, as he urged fellow Bacolodnons to also have courage in submitting themselves to the impending Covid vaccination.

Leonardia said he expects that the Covid vaccination procedures used by Bacolod City will be used as “standard” by other local government units (LGUs).

The mayor said it was inspiring to see people joining the activity, which he considered as "a big effort.”

“Bacolod is assured of the vaccines, so we need to be ready to pursue our vaccination program when it arrives,” he said, adding that the city has to continue practicing the system so it can eventually hit the ground running.

Bacolod is among the first cities to negotiate its own Covid-19 vaccines. It is among the top five cities in the country with the biggest orders after Davao City, Quezon City, Makati City and the City of Manila.

Deliveries from AstraZeneca are expected to start in July 2021. Additional vaccines will also be provided by the national government.

Also present at the activity was Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, also the chairman of the City Inter-Agency Task Force and Councilor Renecito Novero, who is in charge of the Vaccination Centers Action Team.

The vaccination simulation was spearheaded by the City Health Office (CHO) in coordination with the Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health and Nutrition Division chief, who will supervise the CHO personnel.

They were assisted by the EPI Medical and Nurse Coordinators, Hems, Hepo, barangay health workers, and barangay health emergency response teams.

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