Bacolod aims to vaccinate 68% of city population

BACOLOD City – This city targets to vaccinate 68 percent of its population against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Mayor Evelio Leonardia said the remaining 32 percent of the 424,992 Bacolodnons were 18-year-olds and below not included in the priority list.

The city government already made an i nitial payment of more t han P31 million t o British p h a r maceutical f i r m AstraZeneca for the 650,000 doses of COVID- 19 vaccine it ordered.

The vaccines’ expected arrival is by the third quarter of the year.

The city government has also identified 40 vaccination centers. Each center can have a daily maximum target of 500 vaccinated people, or an

estimated 20,000 individuals a day, Leonardia said.

T h e m a y o r a l s o highlighted t he “strong public- private partnership” in the c i t y, “evident i n t he several offers f rom p r i v a t e s e c t o r s a n d individuals.”

T h e y wa n t u s t o utilize their facilities as vaccination sites, Leonardia stressed.

Several medical schools and organizations said they would also augment the

city’s vaccination manpower, he revealed.

Aside from AstraZeneca, Leonardia is also negotiating with other pharmaceutical companies for additional doses of COVID- 19 vaccines.

Bacolod City is among the first local government units i n t he country t o establish a vaccination c ouncil, t he COVID- 19 Vaccination Council created through Executive Order No. 83 issued by Leonardia on Dec. 22, 2020./