By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The provincial government of Negros Occidental will officially start its vaccination program for frontline healthcare workers today through a ceremonial vaccination at the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City. 
Provincial administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, said 12 health workers who are all doctors coming from the four provincial government-run hospitals have volunteered for the ceremonial vaccination which will begin at 2:00 p.m.
Diaz said everything is now ready and the Provincial Health Office (PHO) had already received the initial Sinovac vaccines and other supplies which would be needed for the vaccination program.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, COVID-19 testing czar Secretary Vince Dizon, and Provincial Consultant on Economic Affairs Alfredo Benitez will witness the event.
Diaz said the provincial government yesterday received 1,600 doses of Sinovac vaccines from the Department of Health (DOH), wherein the initial 800 will be used today, while the remaining 800 will be used for the second dose.
By Saturday, March 13, Diaz said they will start distributing the vaccines to other health workers who have initially signed up for the inoculation.
“So far our list have already been presented [to the DOH], and we are expecting additional supplies [such as] AstraZeneca which is expected to arrive soon, and when the second round of supplies arrive, those who were not vaccinated on the first round will be included in the second,” Diaz explained.
He added that they are now expecting AstraZeneca for the second round of vaccines which the province will receive, and based on their list around 1,700 provincial healthcare workers have signed up to be inoculated on the first round alone.
“Right now we are short by about 900 doses in order to vaccinate those who have volunteered first,” Diaz said. “Once the vaccines arrive we will immediately utilize them as soon as possible and the distribution will be based on the protocols set by the DOH and the World Health Organization.”/DGB, WDJ