The vaccination drive against COVID-19 at Bacolod City malls was more orderly Tuesday, July 27, after walk-ins were no longer allowed, City Administrator Em Ang said.
However, there were still a lot of vaccinees on Tuesday, she said.
That is because there was a delay in the second dose jabs that were supposed to be administered last week as the vaccines from the Department of Health did not arrive on time, Ang said.
So now they are administering second dose jabs on those who were scheduled last week along with the vaccinees for this week, she added.
Huge crowds, many defying health protocols, trooped to the mall vaccination sites Monday. This prompted Ang to announce that the vaccination centers at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, Robinsons Place, and SMX Convention Center would no longer cater to walk-ins.
Only Bacolod residents who registered online and have been notified of their vaccination schedules are being entertained at the malls now to prevent what happened on Monday, she said.
Ang also said Bacolod Overseas Filipino Workers with contracts or certificates from their agencies are being vaccinated at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central.
Vaccination sites are expected to open at more malls.
The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City also began administering 325 doses of Janssen vaccines on its HIV patients on Monday, Dr. Julius Drilon, CLMMRH chief, said.
The HIV patients are managed by the HIV and AIDS Core Team of the hospital.
The vaccination of the HIV patients will protect them from having severe COVID-19 infection. This is another layer of protection that will bring new hope for them, Drilon said.
Meanwhile, travelers entering Bacolod City from Panay and other parts of the country are still required to present COVID-19 negative RT-PCR test results to prevent the entry of the highly contagious Delta variant, Ang said.
Persons fully vaccinated against COVID-19 are not exempted from the rule, she said.
Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia earlier issued an executive order banning leisure travel to and from Panay Island.*