24-hour vaccination drive launching in Bacolod on Aug. 30

The Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF) in Bacolod will launch the 24-hour vaccination drive on Aug. 30 to further curb the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections and sustain the decline in cases.

City Administrator Em Ang, concurrent executive director of EOC-TF, said the innovation is part of the action plan with identified measures to ensure the safety of the city residents against the virus.

“The round-the-clock vaccination will be launched on Monday to coincide with the National Heroes’ Day,” she said.

After the daily schedule in various vaccination centers across the city, which usually starts at 8 a.m., the team of the City Health Office headed by officer-in-charge Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr. will administer Covid-19 jabs from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. the following day at the second floor of Jollibee store at the corner of Burgos and Gatuslao Streets.

After the launch, vaccination will continue in the same venue on regular hours during Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Those who will be accommodated are A1, A2, and A3 priority groups, which include front-line health care workers, senior citizens, and adults with comorbidities, respectively, as well as frontline personnel in essential sectors, who belong to A4, and indigents under A5.

On scheduled days, the city government holds vaccination in six shopping malls, including SMX Convention Center at SM City Bacolod, Ayala Malls Capitol Central, Robinsons Place Bacolod, CityMall Goldenfield, CityMall Mandalagan, and Gaisano Grand Mall, and also in several barangay gymnasiums, health centers, and school campuses.

For the mobile vaccination drive, three buses are also being deployed to reach market vendors and public utility vehicle drivers while the drive-thru vaccination is being held at Ayala Malls Capitol Central.

On-site vaccination for employees of business process outsourcing firms is also being conducted.

As of Aug. 23, Bacolod has inoculated 178,242 individuals, of which 107,752 are fully vaccinated.* (Nanette Guadalquiver)