"THE vaccination of our medical frontliners against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is a big factor to convince our constituents to avail of the vaccine."
This was stressed by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, chairman of Bacolod City Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), on Tuesday, March 16, after more than 2,000 medical frontliners in the city were already vaccinated with Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines.
"This will encourage the public to avail of the Covid-19 vaccine," Familiaran said.
After the vaccination, he said there is no reported negative effect from the recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Since last week, more than 2,000 healthcare workers, including doctors from various hospitals in Bacolod, were vaccinated with Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines.
"We are hopeful that it will increase the number of our recipients to avail of the Covid-19 vaccine and to reach the 70 percent target of the population to develop herd immunity," Familiaran said.
He said there is now an ongoing registration in various barangays to those who want to avail themselves of the Covid-19 vaccine and it is for free.
In previous months, some residents aired that they will not avail themselves of the Covid-19 vaccine.
Bacolod City on Friday, March 12, received a total of 312 vials of AstraZeneca vaccine from the National Government that were distributed to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Riverside Medical Center, Bacolod Adventist Medical Center and The Doctor's Hospital Inc.
The 312 vials of AstraZeneca vaccine can accommodate a total of 1,560 recipients.
Aside from the AstraZeneca vaccine, Bacolod City also received on Saturday, March 13, another 840 doses of Sinovac vaccine that will be used for medical frontliners assigned at isolation quarantine facilities, City Health Office, Barangay Health Centers, independent clinics and laboratories.
Dr. Chris Sorongon, deputy for medical data and analysis of Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF), earlier said that this week, another supply of Covid-19 vaccines from the National Government will be delivered to Bacolod City since almost one million vaccines from China are expected to arrive in the country.
He said of 2,315 medical frontliners who received their first doses of the Sinovac vaccine, they only noted very minor adverse effects such as localize rashes, which were resolved after 15 minutes, and some experiencing high blood pressure due to excitement after the vaccination.