Gov. Petilla says Leyte to procure own anti-COVID-19 vaccines; to study who will first get inoculated
TACLOBAN CITY-The provincial government of Leyte has allocated P20 million for the procurement of vaccines against coronavirus (COVID-19) once it is available in the market.
This was disclosed by Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla who said that the around 40,000 vaccines are projected to be procured by the provincial government with such budget.
The province is looking at Pfizer or AstraZeneca as possible supplier of the vaccines.
According to the governor, they have already coordinated of their plan to buy their own supply with Sec. Carlito Galvez Jr, the chief implementer to National Action Plan vs COVID-19 who is the only authorized person by the national government to negotiate for the purchase of vaccine.
Petilla disclosed that in the conduct of vaccination, the province will first analyze the provincial data to determine who are going to be the priority for the vaccine. Most probably to be first on the list are those who had been tested positive from the disease.
Leyte has the highest number of COVID-19 in the province with more than 3,000 cases.
“We will have to check the profile of these patients. What are their profession, where they live, are they staying in urban centers or rural area, and other informations. If we are able to get enough information, those who fits in that profile, they are to be prioritized in the vaccination,” Petilla said.
He added that another possible basis in conducting vaccination is identifying the areas with the most number of COVID-19 cases.
“But these are not yet final. We still have to discuss this with our strategists. Take note that it is not only vaccine that can kill virus. Many had already recovered using the combination of the health protocols. We are imposing and adding it with vaccine then we can bring this down to zero with the proper strategy of vaccination,”Petilla said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Winners of ‘Christmas on Wheels’ named; victors receive cash and food packs from Tacloban city gov’t
TACLOBAN CITY-Winners of the inaugural ‘Tacloban Christmas on Wheels’ contest were announced on Sunday (Dec.20).
The first prize went to Roger Gaviola/Paul Jeymar Gaviola who received a noche buena pack, a half-sack of rice and, a P20,000 cash prize.
Second prize was received by Edgar Cagara and his partner, Genovero Emnas. They received a noche buena pack, half-sack of rice and P15,000.
Ruth Mabay and Nick Anthony Nofies were adjudged as third place winners who received noche buena pack, half-sack of rice and P10,000 cash prize.
Special Award “Best Biyahero” went to Jay Rojas and Joey Oreno who received a noche buena pack, a half-sack of rice and, a P5,000 cash prize.
The Tacloban Christmas on Wheels was held in cooperation with TNT (Smart Communications).
The contest involved 18 public utility vehicles adorned with unique Christmas lights and decorations.
The contest aim to help uplift the spirits of the people of the city during this time of pandemic due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19). (TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
Six patients die due to COVID-19
Region’s cases reach the 10,000 mark
TACLOBAN CITY- The number of deaths due to complications of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from the region has increased to 116 as the Department of Health (DOH) reported of six new fatalities due to the dreaded virus over the weekend .
As this developed, the number of COVID-19 cases in the region has now breached the 10,000 mark.
As of Monday (Dec.21), the total number of COVID-19 cases of the region has now reached to 10,134 since March of this year.
The DOH reported that the latest persons to die due to complications of COVID-19 involved a 79-year-old woman from Tanauan, Leyte who died last Dec.11; a 55-year-old man from Gandara town in Samar, and 56-year-old woman from Victoria, Northern Samar who both died on Dec.16; an 85-year-old woman from Ormoc City, Leyte, and a 58-year-old woman from Oras, Eastern Samar who both died on Dec.17; and a 68-year-old man from Catbalogan City, Samar who succumbed on Dec.18.
Ormoc City continue to report high cases of COVID-19. Just last Sunday, it posted 33 new cases pushing its active cases to 163.
Mayor Richard Gomez has issued an executive order strengthening its border control due to the upsurge of COVID-19 cases in the city as those who are allowed entry must undergo thermal scanning and present QR codes.
On Monday, after posting two digits of cases of persons infected of COVID-19 since the start of this month, the DOH said that the region has only nine new cases of the deadly infection.
With the nine new cases, the region’s total COVID-19 cases rose to 10,134 which came from Leyte with nine new cases; and one each from the provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar.
Since the start of this month, daily COVID-19 cases of the region were in double digits with the highest so far reported on Dec.16 with 156 cases.
Meantime, the health facilities in Pastrana and Carigara towns, both in Leyte, were shut down.
The rural health unit of Pastrana was temporarily closed since Sunday (Dec.20) after one of its health workers was identified to be a close contact of a person who was tested positive of COVID-19.
The Carigara District Hospital was also closed down since Saturday (Dec.19) after one of its health care worker was tested positive.
In Kananga town, also in Leyte, its municipal hospital was ordered open on Monday (Dec.21) after it was closed last Dec.17 by Mayor Matt Torres.
However, the hospital will only entertain emergency and out-patient cases as there are some staff of the said hospital still in quarantine, Torres said.
Torres was tested negative of the virus based on the swab result that came out last Sunday. (JOEY A. GABIETA/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)