By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga 

The local health offices in Negros Occidental are next to get COVID-19 bivalent vaccines.

Provincial Health Office (PHO) officer-in-charge Dr. Girlie Pinongan said once they completed the inoculation of all hospital staff, those assigned to the city and municipal health offices will get the vaccines next.

The PHO has 2,340 total doses of bivalent vaccines, but priority will be given to medical personnel before these can be made available to the public.

Earlier, Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz said the initial doses of the bivalent vaccines provided by the Department of Health are limited.

He added the provincial government is willing to purchase additional supplies for Negrenses who wish to get vaccinated.

The bivalent or third booster shots could provide protection against new strains of COVID-19 compared to the previous booster shots./DGB, WDJ