Negros Occidental and Bacolod City vaccinated 285 minors with comorbidities aged 12 to 17 years old, under the Pediatric A3 category, against COVID-19 on Friday, October 29.
In Bacolod, 208 were vaccinated at the Riverside College, Em Legaspi Ang, City Emergency Operations Center executive director, said.
At the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City 77 minors with comorbidities from various parts of Negros Occidental were vaccinated, Dr. Maryann Maestral, TLJPH chief, said.
Maestral said a lot of minors arrived to be vaccinated but many lacked some of the Department of Health requirements.
One patient who has a shunt in the brain could not be vaccinated because the child’s mother is in Japan and a special power of attorney was needed, she said.
Maestral said she felt bad that the child could not be vaccinated but they had to comply with the DOH requirement.
However, she assured that the vaccination of the minors with comorbidities will resume at the TLJPH on Tuesday, November 2.
Aside from the TLJPH, the provincial government will also vaccinate comorbid minors at the Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City and Cadiz District Hospital at dates to be announced later, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.
BRAVERY LAUDED
Provincial consultant Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez lauded the young people who showed up for Pediatric A3 vaccination calling them modern-day heroes.
“I admire the bravery of these young people for taking the first step and ensuring the progress of our community, you are the heroes of our present time. The sooner we get everybody vaccinated, the faster we’ll be able to fight this pandemic,” he said.
The most virulent form of COVID, the Delta variant, has caused the death even of children, prompting authorities to urge leaders to have minors vaccinated, Benitez, who is running for mayor of Bacolod, said.
“There’s no other solution. The only way we can fight COVID is really through vaccination…the sooner we get everybody vaccinated, the faster we can get our old lifestyle – how it was, we need to get vaccinated”, he added.
IN BACOLOD
Ang said Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia led the launching of the Pediatric A3 vaccination at the Riverside College Friday.
The Pediatric A3 inoculation will resume November 3 and 4 at the Riverside College annex, while other minor Bacolodnons without co-morbidity will be vaccinated at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central and the SMX Convention Center of SM City Bacolod, she said.
Pediatric A3 vaccinations are being held in a hospital-based site that has the capacity to manage possible adverse reactions to vaccines, ensure close monitoring and facilitate easy referral of patients, Ang explained.*