DUMAGUETE CITY, June 30 (PIA) -- Some 1,117 individuals have been inoculated with Pfizer vaccine at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital over the weekend. 

Assistant Provincial Health Officer and Provincial Inter-Agency Task Force-Emerging Infectious Disease (PIATF-EID) Incident Commander Dr. Liland Estacion announced in her virtual press conference on June 29 that the province received 195 vials of Pfizer Biontech vaccine from the National Vaccination Operations Center (NVOC) on June 25.

This is equivalent to six doses of the vaccine.

Estacion said the NVOC has directed the PIATF to roll out the inoculation within three days upon receiving the vaccines.

The mass vaccination was held at the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital.

Following this directive, the PIATF Health Committee reached out to the individuals who are included in the vaccination masterlist of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) and requested them to come to NOPH for their inoculation.

However, since most of them did not show up, the IPHO proceeded to vaccinate the persons who are part of the Quick Substitution List (QSL).

“We had a masterlist but sad to say kato ato gitawagan wala niari. We were ready for our QSL. Naa tay nakaapil na lain (We have a masterlist but sad to say, those we notified did not come. We were ready for our QSL so we accommodated persons who are part of the QSL),” Estacion said.

There are also individuals under the A1, A2, and A3 priority sectors for vaccination who have received the Pfizer vaccine.

Meanwhile, Estacion reported that around 37,608 persons in Negros Oriental have received their first dose of vaccine since the province started its vaccine rollout.

Around 10,317 persons have completed their vaccination after receiving the second dose.

For A1, the PIATF already inoculated 16,958 persons, while for A2, the provincial government inoculated 15,580 individuals and 3,900 under A3.

Estacion reiterated that the public should not be picky when it comes to vaccines.

“The best vaccine is what is available. Ato na time what is available is Pfizer. If wala tay Pfizer, ug unsa na pod moabot like Sinovac, sa LGUs karon (What was available that time was Pfizer. If we don’t have Pfizer, let’s take what is coming next like Sinovac which the LGUs also have right now). I encourage people to accept Sinovac,” Estacion said.

“We don’t know unsa na pod ipadala (We don’t know what vaccine we will receive next). We are at the mercy of the National Vaccination Center and the Regional Vaccination Operations Center. We should grab what is available,” she added.

Estacion said the Provincial Government of Negros Oriental is also considering buying an ultra freezer to store the upcoming batches of Pfizer vaccines. (RAL/PIA7 Negros Oriental)