Negros Occidental, Bacolod City and the rest of Western Visayas have been placed under Alert Level 2 by the National Inter-Agency Task Force from November 15 to 30, 2021, the Office of the Presidential Spokesman disclosed over the weekend.

Meanwhile, the downgrade of Bacolod’s status from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 2 was expected as COVID-19 cases continue to decline the past four weeks.

Cases of new infections further dipped to only 12 on Saturday, November 13, as Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF) and COVID-19 Vaccination Council frontliners went full blast with their inoculation of minors, including those with comorbidities, students, their parents, school faculty, and non-teaching personnel on top of their mall-based  operations, barangay vaccination drive and jab administration in remote puroks of the city’s villages.

Mayor Evelio Leonardia, however, said that despite the downgrade, city folk should not be complacent.

He reminded Bacolodnons not to let their guard down because COVID is still very much around.

He also renewed his call on residents to remain compliant with the minimum health protocols and encouraged the unvaccinated anew to be inoculated at the vaccination center nearest them.

Under Alert Level 2, establishments will be allowed to operate indoors at 50% capacity with additional 10% capacity if they have a safety seal. For outdoors, they will be allowed at 70%./WDJ

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