THE Cebu City Government has started inoculating individuals who belong to the priority sectors using the Pfizer vaccine.
The ceremonial inoculation of the Pfizer vaccine was conducted at the new vaccination site at the University of Cebu (UC) Senior High School Private Campus located along J. Alcantara Street on Monday, May 17, 2021.
Cebu City Health Department (CHD) officer-in-charge Jeffrey Ibones said inoculation of Pfizer vaccines will only be administered on the J. Alcantara UC campus.
The City earlier announced that the inoculation using the Pfizer vaccine will only be done at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMCC), but Ibones said they were able to convince the DOH-Central Visayas officials to just have it in the city's vaccination site.
Ibones recognized that the vaccinees may be hesitant to go to the hospital.
He said that the UC Senior High School Private Campus is a convenient place for a vaccination site as it is near hospitals, as well as the DOH-Central Visayas office where the Pfizer vaccines are being stored.
On the other hand, University of Cebu (UC) president Augusto Go offers more establishments owned by him to be used as vaccination sites.
Go, in a speech during the opening of the vaccination site in UC Senior High School Department located at J. Alcantara Street, said other UC campuses can be used as vaccination site.
"I'm very happy that you're using my place. I still have another place that you can use," said Go.
He said the UC campus in Barangay Mambaling and a training center in Barangay Pardo can be used as vaccination sites.
Department of Health (DOH) Central Visayas Director Jaime Bernadas said this marks another milestone in the partnership between the local government unit (LGU) and the private sector.
"It is our mandate sa DOH, the health sector, including the private and the rest of the community to bind together, to work together," said Bernadas.
Meanwhile, Bernadas said the region may officially proceed to Priority Code A4 or the essential and economic workers by June.
Bernadas said this as far as the pronouncement from the national government is concerned.
However, Bernadas said there is a possibility that the region can start with the category A4 workers this month once all the Priority Codes A1, A2, and A3 sectors will be vaccinated and if there are vaccines available.(JJL)