TACLOBAN CITY-At least 73,200 doses of Sinovac vaccines arrived in the region last Saturday (May 1) which are intended for frontliners who have not yet received the vaccines.
The arrival of these vaccines is expected to complete the vaccination of all health and frontline workers in the region, Dr. Exuperia Sabalberino, DOH regional director said.
The vaccines are also to be administered to medical workers and frontliners as their second doses.
As of last week, 42,101 medical and other frontline workers across the region have received the vaccines, the DOH reported.
“This is the biggest number of doses received by Eastern Visayas and is expected to complete the vaccination of those belonging to A1 category,” she said.
These doses could accommodate over 36,500 individuals, Sabalberino said.
Sabalberino earlier said that they have identified over 80,000 medical and frontliners in the region who are to receive the shots.
The region, she added, expects to receive doses of vaccines this month and on June.
Meantime, the regional Office of Civil Defense (OCD) will be providing free meals for medical and frontline workers in the region.
Lord Byron Torrecarion, OCD-8 director, said that providing meals to these medical and frontline workers is their way of expressing their gratitude during this time of pandemic.
“This is our way of giving back to our medical and frontline workers who are making their own sacrifices (during this pandemic), Torrecarion said.
The giving of free meals started on Sunday and initially projected to end next month.
OCD had earlier provided assistance to various hospitals and offices in the region like distribution of PPEs (personal protective equipment)
As of Monday, the region has 18,223 confirmed coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases with 35 new cases as reported by the DOH. (JOEY A. GABIETA)