NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Mayor Manuel Escalante of Manapla, Hinoba-an Mayor Ernesto Estrao and Hinigaran Mayor Jose Nadie Arceo are set for inoculation with Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine on Friday, April 30, at Teresita Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the three mayors have already confirmed their willingness to be vaccinated, while Candoni Mayor Cicero Borromeo has not yet given his consent for his vaccination plan.
Diaz also said that some members of the Provincial Board who are senior citizens will also get their jabs on Friday, April 30, with AstraZeneca and they are Board Member Samson Mirhan (second district), Araceli Somosa (first district), Victor Javellana (second district) and Sixto Guanzon (second district).
He also said that some department heads who are willing for vaccination and will be substitutes are Provincial Veterinary head Dr. Renante Decena, Provincial Agriculture Office head Japhet Masculino, Dr. Narissa Lemoncito of the Philippine Rural Development Project and Jun Caberoy of the Bids and Awards Committee. They will also get AstraZeneca.
Diaz said there is now a demand for the vaccines in the province, especially that Negros Occidental has a substantial number of health employees.
This, he said, is the reason why the province can only go to the next level of priorities until these health workers are completed.
But he said there are additional incoming doses of Sinovac.
Diaz also clarified that as of now, Negros Occidental may not get yet the Sputnic V vaccines from Russia because aside from it being expensive compared to AstraZeneca and Sinovac, it also requires negative 18 degrees storage.
He said, though, that letters have been distributed to the local government units, encouraging them to buy Sputnic V and that they needed to sign the letter of intent to join the allocation in case the Tripartite Agreement pushes through.
Reports from the national government said that 195,000 doses of Sputnic V are set to arrive in the country on April 29.
The province has procured 100,000 doses of AstraZeneca with deliveries expected on May or July this year.