By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
A total of 343 minors aged 12 to 17 years old have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine following the formal launch of the pediatric A3 vaccination in Negros Occidental and its capital Bacolod City last Friday, October 29.
Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Executive Director Em Legaspi-Ang revealed that the city topped the nationwide pediatric A3 vaccination recording a total of 266 minors.
The city’s pediatric vaccination rollout was conducted at Riverside College.
Based on records from the Department of Health (DOH), the other top performers after Bacolod City were the Manuel A. Roxas District Hospital with 246; Governor Faustino N. Dy Hospital with 226; and the City of Ilagan Medical Center with 216. All are located in the province of Isabela.
Back in Western Visayas the other top performer was Iloilo City’s St. Paul Hospital, where they recorded 130 minors receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, the provincial government of Negros Occidental recorded 77 minors vaccinated last Friday at the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) in Silay City.
The provincial government was initially aiming for 300 to 400 minors to be vaccinated, however, TLJPH chief Dr. Maryann Maestral explained despite a lot of minors arriving, some were unable to proceed because they lack some of the documents being required by the DOH such as a medical certificate which shows proof that the minor has an existing comorbidity.
Maestral said that they feel bad that the minors cannot proceed for vaccination, but they have no choice as they have to strictly comply with the requirements set by the DOH.
She added the vaccination of minors with comorbidities will resume on Tuesday.
Aside from the TLJPH, the province’s vaccination program for minors will also be conducted at the Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City and the Cadiz District Hospital./DGB, WDJ