BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The provincial government of Negros Occidental is hopeful that normal activities such as schooling, sports and other social activities will resume soon as the province begins inoculating children aged five to 11 years old against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The launching of the children’s vaccination program was held on Monday morning, Feb. 14, at the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz refused to say that the ending of the COVID-19 pandemic in the province has already begun, although he expressed that the province may already be close, following the launching of the children’s vaccination; they are the only vulnerable sector left unvaccinated, he said.
“[The children] have been deprived of their social life, wala school, wala face-to-face,” Diaz said.
The province of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City have been downgraded to Alert Level 2 status following a substantial drop in new COVID-19 cases over the past few days.
Presidential Secretary Karlo Nograles made the announcement on Monday afternoon. The new alert level will take effect today, Feb. 16, until Feb. 28.
Under Alert Level 2, certain establishments and activities are allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity indoors for fully vaccinated, and 70 percent capacity outdoors.
The OCTA Research Group had earlier stated that the number of COVID-19 cases in Western Visayas is now on the downtrend, with the exception of Iloilo City, although they too are beginning to see a drop in new COVID-19 cases.
Nevertheless, Iloilo City will remain under Alert Level 3 status for the remainder of February alongside Iloilo province and Guimaras./PN
