The Negros Occidental provincial government is pushing for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) alert level classification for every local government unit (LGU) instead of assigning a specific category for the entire province, which is under Alert Level 2 until the end of March.
Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said on Wednesday provincial officials, along with the Department of Health (DOH) representatives, have suggested this “new way of approaching things” after the province seems to have reached the “saturation point” in its vaccination campaign.
“These things were discussed during the meeting of the Provincial Health Board yesterday (March 29, 2022). Alert level classification should be done for the whole province, but per LGU because there are LGUs that are really performing well,” he told reporters.
On March 28, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said Negros Occidental is expected to remain under Alert Level 2 after March 31 due to its low vaccination coverage rate, which has yet to reach 70 percent of the target fully vaccinated population.
Previously, the provincial administrator also said the low vaccination turnout among the Negrense senior citizens is the reason why Negros Occidental remains at Alert Level 2 and cannot yet be de-escalated to Alert Level 1, the lowest category in the country’s Covid-19 alert level system.
Diaz, the action officer of the provincial Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), said they have asked the DOH to officially endorse some seven LGUs that have reached the target vaccination coverage to be placed under Alert Level 1.
He added the province wants the LGUs that have performed well or have even exceeded the 70 percent target vaccinated population to enjoy the effects of their hard work.
“That will also in a way serve as encouragement to other LGUs to strive to reach the same vaccination level as the other LGUs to enjoy Alert Level 1,” he added.
Under Alert Level 1, there are already no restrictions in terms of indoor and outdoor gathering capacities.
As of March 30, the Department of Health-Western Visayas has reported that Negros Occidental has 907,017 fully vaccinated residents aged 18 to 59, which is equivalent to 63.44 percent of the 1.429 million target vaccinees.
In the same age group, some 1.039 million Negrenses, or 72.71 percent, have been administered the first dose.
Meanwhile, among the senior citizens or the 60 and above age group, some 131,048 individuals, or 48.61 percent of the target 269,602 vaccinees have been fully vaccinated while 135,671 elderly persons, or 50.32 percent, have availed of the first dose.
Source: Philippines News Agency