Shadow

Demand for Covid vaccines in Negros higher than supply

PIMT photo

“The demand for COVID-19 vaccines in Negros Occidental is greater than the supply”, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Tuesday, August 10.

“It is frustrating for the LGUs (local government units) that the supply is coming in by trickles, we are hoping that the Department of Health sees our high performance rate in terms of vaccine rollout,” he said.

Negros Occidental received 10,000 doses of Sinovac ad 10,700 doses of Moderna vaccines on Tuesday that will be rolled out right away, he said.

Prior to the new delivery Negros Occidental only had a few AstraZeneca vaccines, 50 doses of Johnson & Johnson and about 1,000 doses of Sinovac jabs left, he said.

The provincial government has fully vaccinated 154,539 Negrenses that is more than 10 percent of its target population, Diaz said.

They cannot use COVAX donated vaccines to the Philippines for A4 economic frontliners until they reach their required A1 to A3 targets, he said.

Diaz said they have vaccinated 121 percent of the A1 health care workers and 223 percent of the A3 persons with comorbidities, but are lagging behind in the vaccination of the A2 senior citizens.

They have so far only vaccinated 55 percent of the targeted senior citizens and must reach 100 percent so they can proceed to the A4 category, Diaz said.

He attributed the low vaccination rate of senior citizens to mobility problems and hesitancy.

However, they have been informed by local government officials that there are now a lot of senior citizens who want to be vaccinated so they are hoping they reach their A2 target soon so they can proceed to those under A4.

Local government units have been asked to step up the vaccination of the senior citizens, he said.*

Secured By miniOrangeSecured By miniOrange