By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Negros Occidental started the distribution of the bivalent vaccines against COVID-19 to all provincial government-run hospitals yesterday.
Provincial administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said qualified medical personnel, with 553 scheduled to be inoculated on the distribution’s first day, will be the first to get the bivalent vaccines in accordance to the guidelines set by the Department of Health.
Bivalent vaccines are the third booster capable of addressing the new strains of COVID-19.
The Provincial Health Office (PHO) currently has a total of 2,340 doses of bivalent vaccines, but priority is given to medical personnel before the vaccine is made available to the public.
Diaz said initial vaccine doses are limited. If there is a need for additional supplies, the provincial government is willing to purchase more stock.
The PHO also remains open to vaccinate individuals who have not yet received their primary COVID-19 vaccines.
Diaz also assured that there are still supplies available for those who wish to get vaccinated.
Based on present available data from the PHO, from March 27, 2020 to July 2 of this year, Negros Occidental now has 45,519 COVID-19 cases, with total recoveries at 43,368 and deaths at 2,079.
The province has a total of 71 active cases, it added./DGB, WDJ