By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental provincial government is now preparing for the fourth round of the national vaccination days or “Bayanihan Bakunahan” Phase 4 scheduled from March 10 to 12.

According to provincial administrator, Atty. Rayfrando Diaz, National Task Force (NTF) deputy chief implementer, Secretary Vince Dizon, has allotted 25,000 additional doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines which would be used to vaccinate children aged 5 to 11.

“Thankful ang aton [Provincial Health Office] and hospitals operations department, tungod we can continue our vaccination program para sa aton 5 to 11,” Diaz said.

He also said after a very long struggle, the province is “nearly there” and hopefully COVID-19 will become endemic by this year.

He further added that the provincial government is thankful to the efforts of everyone especially to the province’s frontline healthcare workers.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental is now recording single digit cases daily with five new cases reported yesterday, based on the Department of Health Region 6 case bulletin.

Active COVID-19 cases in the province are now down to 92 and it is expected that the number will further decrease in the coming days./DGB, WDJ