Bacolod City notes 'big turnout' in pediatric vaccination

BACOLOD City is seen to have another record-breaking output as the local government resumeed Wednesday, November 3, 2021, its pediatric vaccination campaign conducted simultaneously in three vaccination centers.

Dr. Chris Sorongon, deputy for medical, data analysis and management of the Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF), said a total of 920 minors, aged 12 to 17, were administered Pfizer jabs at the Riverside Medical Center Inc. (RMCI), SMX Convention Center and Ayala Malls Capitol Central.

About 300 teenagers with comorbidities were inoculated at the RMCI.

These are on top of another 300 vaccinees at the SMX Convention Center and 320 at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central from the general pediatric population, Sorongon said.

"It's a very encouraging turnout. And I cannot overemphasize the fact that this is the result of the hard work of our medical frontliners and volunteers," Mayor Evelio Leonardia said.

On Friday, October 29, Bacolod's EOC-TF and Covid Vaccination Council, both chaired by Leonardia with former City Administrator Em Ang as executive director, vaccinated 266 minors with comorbidities at the RMCI.

It turned out to be the highest number of vaccinees nationwide in the maiden run of the pediatric A3 vaccination program, the Department of Health said.

Minors with comorbidities can still get their jabs at RMCI Thursday, November 4. The vaccination runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sorongon said.

The Ayala Malls vaccination starts at 10 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. while SMX is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from Mondays to Sundays, he added.

Sorongon added vaccinees from the general pediatric population are required to bring their birth certificates and proof of filiation.

Those with comorbidities must present their medical certificates while accompanying parents or guardians must show any government-issued identification cards, he said.

The more common comorbidities among Bacolod minors, who received vaccines, include bronchial asthma, seizure disorders, spectrum of autism disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Others have cardio-vascular diseases, congenital heart disorders and endocrine disorders, among others, the EOC official also said.

Moreover, even on a holiday and weekends, EOC-TF and CoVAC medical frontliners and personnel of the Bacolod City Health Office under Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr. will continue with the pediatric vaccination drive.

This time, Sorongon said, vaccinators will mount onsite, school-based campaigns.

The campaign kicks off at the St. Scholastica's Academy, where 300 students are scheduled for inoculation on November 5, Sorongon said.

At Colegio San Agustin Bacolod, with 600 vaccinees, it will be on November 10; St. John's Institute with 660 vaccinees - November 12; La Consolacion College Bacolod with 600 vaccinees - November 12; and Trinity Christian School with 460 vaccinees - November 13.

The EOC is awaiting the schedule for Bacolod Tay Tung High School while the University of St. La Salle-Integrated School and St. Joseph's La Salle are in the process of master-listing the roster of their vaccinees.

Public schools under the Department of Education (DepEd), meanwhile, are master listing as well, he said, adding that vaccines for DepEd institutions will be administered in barangay vaccination centers nearest them.

On Saturday, November 6, EOC-TF, CHO and CoVAC teams will also hold a meeting with Sangguniang Kabataan leaders to fast track the master listing of minors at the village level.

Sorongon said “city frontliners are happy with the turnout of the pediatric vaccination efforts.”

It simply shows that Bacolod parents are in full support of the initiatives of the local government under Leonardia to achieve herd immunity, he said.

The big turnout is also indicative of the fact that our students are eager over the prospects of a return to face-to-face classes, he pointed out.

"The kids are now setting the example. We noted that parents, who are unvaccinated, consequently, got jabbed because they are accompanying their minor children to the vaccination sites," Sorongon said.

So far, he added, no adverse side effects have been reported among teens who were inoculated. (PR)