The night-time public vaccination drive of the Bacolod City government starts at the second floor of the Jollibee branch at Gatuslao-Burgos streets at 8 p.m. Monday, August 30, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said.
Leonardia, in a press release, said Covid jabs will be administered by the medical team of the Emergency Operations Center-Task Force and the City Health Office to qualified residents, who have pre-registered online.
The 4 p.m. launch coincides with the commemoration of the National Heroes Day Monday.
Also to be launched Monday is the third mobile vaccination unit or the Vax-i, courtesy of Merzci, City Administrator Em Legaspi-Ang, concurrent EOC-TF executive director and Covid-19 Vaccination Council coordinator.
Two buses, owned by the city government and Vallacar Transit, Inc., were launched earlier this month as mobile vaccination units.
Ang explained that with the day-and-night vaccination of the EOC-TF, the city government is, consequently, plugging all holes to fast-track the LGU’s target to achieve herd immunity, which is by the end of December 2021.
Also being targeted as priority of the 24-hour vaccination drive are the economic frontliners, the mayor said.
After Monday’s launch at Jollibee, the EOC-TF resumes regular operations for night-time vaccination on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to cover as many Bacolod residents, Ang said.
The 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. schedule, another first by Bacolod City in this side of the country, is an aggressive and innovative approach to keep local communities safe as the LGU continue to experience a decline in Covid infections during the month of August, Ang said.
It also complements, she said, the continued daily schedules in 27 vaccination sites, the jabs given at different malls, on-site drive at Business Process Outsourcing firms, the drive-thru campaign at Ayala Malls Capitol Central and the mobile Vax-i targetting market vendors and public utility drivers since mid-August.
Also last Saturday and Sunday, the city government mounted the “Bigjab Weekend” drive at the SMX of SM City and Ayala Malls Capitol Central from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to to further increase the total number of vaccinated Bacolod residents.
Ang said late last week that the city had already administered first dose to 156,242 residents as of August 23.
Some 94,179 have been fully vaccinated during the same period, she added.*