BARANGAY officials in Bacolod City will start the survey next week within their barangays to determine the total number of their constituents who want to join the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccination program.
Councilor Lady Gles Pallne, president of the Liga ng Mga Barangay, said Tuesday, February 9, that majority of the barangay officials signified to conduct a survey next week since their health workers are still busy with the ongoing Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplementation Immunization Activity (MR OPV SIA) campaign.
She said the barangay can conduct a house-to-house survey or hold it in a gymnasium.
"It's up to the style of the barangays on how they can get the approval of their constituents to avail the vaccine against Covid-19," she added.
Pallen noted they are also waiting for the official materials from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the information and education campaign of the government's vaccination program.
Last week, the barangay officials along with the barangay health emergency response team (BHERTs) also held a meeting at the Bacolod Government Center and discussed their preparation for the Covid-19 vaccination program.
Pallen said among the problems they might encounter is the refusal of their constituents to avail the vaccine since Covid-19 vaccine is new.
Last week, the City Government held its dry run on Covid-19 vaccination program at the Barangay Villamonte Gymnasium.
The simulation included the pickup and transport of vaccines and other supplies from the central cold storage facility to the designated vaccination areas, the actual inoculation, the 30 to 45-minute post-vaccination monitoring, the disinfection of the venues, and the disposal of infectious wastes.
Bacolod is among the first cities to negotiate its Covid-19 vaccines. It has already reserved 650,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to kick off its vaccination program, making it among the top five cities in the country with the biggest vaccine orders together with Davao City, Quezon City, Makati City and the City of Manila.
Based on the survey conducted earlier by the barangay council, some 12,000 residents have already expressed willingness to be vaccinated against Covid-19.