A huge crowd, many of whom were overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), lined up for Pfizer jabs at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) Wednesday, July 21.
“We did not expect these many to arrive here, most of them are OFWs actually waiting for this vaccine brand (Pfizer) to become available because this is what is acceptable in the countries they are going to,” Ang said.
She said the Department of Health sent Bacolod City 2,340 doses of Pfizer vaccines and they already used up close to 1,000 on Tuesday so there will not be enough.
There are more than 5,000 OFWs in Bacolod City who have signed up to be vaccinated, Ang said.
The other option is for them to avail of the Johnson and Johnson vaccines that are also acceptable in America and Europe, she said.
One only needs a single dose for Johnson and Johnson, so if an OFW is in a hurry to leave the country he or she need not wait for a second dose, she said.
Bacolod City has been given 30,000 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines to be completely deployed and administered in six days, she said.
Ang said she suggests that OFWs at the already crowded BCGC vaccination sites can opt to go to the SM, Ayala, and Robinsons malls where the Johnson and Johnson and d Astra Zeneca vaccines are being administered.
The vaccinees must have pre-registered online and should have received text messages of their schedule, she said.
If they had not received text messages and there are available vaccines for the day, after the pre-registered vaccinees are attended to, they will be accommodated, she said.
However, they will have to wait a long time, she said.
Bacolod City is expecting more Sinovac vaccines to arrive to be administered as second doses on Thursday or Friday, she added.
She said for all vaccine brands the priorities are still those who fall under the A1 to A3 categories (health workers, senior citizens and persons with comorbidities.
They can accommodate A4 and A5 (frontline personnel and indigent population) supply permitting, she said.*