Mayor Evelio Leonardia has issued Executive Order No. 44, Series of 2021, extending the General Community Quarantine with Heightened Restrictions (GCQ-HR) in Bacolod City until August 31 amid a stepped up vaccination drive to ward off the spread of COVID-19, especially its highly contagious Delta variant.
Bacolod will be under GCQ-HR until August 31 unless further modified by the national Inter-Agency Task Force to either a more stringent category, or downgraded, or lifted as warranted by circumstances, Leonardia said in the EO he signed Saturday, August 14.
Curfew hours will remain from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., leisure travel between Panay and Bacolod and mass gatherings are prohibited, wakes and religious gatherings are limited to 10 percent of venue capacity, dine-in – 20 percent capacity and outdoor dining – 30 percent capacity, he said.
He also said inbound air and sea travelers must present negative RT-PCR results obtained within 72 hours prior to arrival, recreational venues are prohibited, personal care services are limited to 30 percent capacity, and the sale of liquor is allowed only from noon to 6 p.m. with public consumption prohibited.
The city government stepped up its mass vaccination against COVID-19 with the launching of its pilot “Drive Thru” vaccination at the 5th-floor parking area of Ayala Malls Capitol Central on Sunday, August 15, and is also eyeing a 24/7 inoculation campaign, Dr. Chris Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center (EOC) deputy for medical data and operations, said.
“Our goal is to make the vaccination program more accessible to everyone so we can achieve herd immunity and eradicate COVID-19 as fast as possible,” Leonardia said.
Sorongon said 55 vehicles drove through and about 110 people were vaccinated against COVID-19.
The “Drive Thru” is set every Sunday but he will be suggesting that they hold it from Tuesday to Sunday, Sorongon said.
We will observe when a lot of people drive through and choose those days for the weekly schedule, he said.
Under the drive through system the vaccinees don’t have to get down from their vehicles to be vaccinated so infection is least likely to happen, it is very convenient and readily accessible rain or shine, Sorongon said.
They will introduce an application where the forms can be filled up online and printed to lessen the waiting time during the drive through, he said.
Pre-registered healthcare workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities will be accommodated at the drive through vaccination site, City Administrator Em Ang, EOC executive director, said.
“Those interested to avail of the drive through vaccination must bring a screenshot of their online registration, government-issued ID with their Bacolod address, and a pen,” Ang said.
They are also studying a 24/7 vaccination drive in partnership with private sector facilities, Sorongon said.
The city government on Friday also launched its mobile vaccination drive dubbed “VAX-i”.
They are stepping up the vaccination drive with the detection of two COVID-19 Delta virus cases in Bacolod City, he said.
Sorongon said they suspect that Delta variant cases hit Bacolod as early as June but went undetected.*