By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Monday aired his opposition to recall COVID-19 vaccines given to provinces.
Earlier, Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque hinted at recalling vaccines given to the provinces for use in hospitals in Luzon and Cebu with high number of COVID-19 patients.
“Definitely, we will not allow that, especially in Negros Occidental,” Lacson said.
Duque clarified that vaccines already distributed will not be recalled but only “borrowed” from hospitals in provinces with minimal reported uptake because only few medical frontliners got vaccinated.
Lacson said the remaining and unused vaccines are intended for second doses of vaccinated health workers.
Negros Occidental, excluding Bacolod City, got more than 5,000 vials of Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines.
“I will not agree to the request, and we will continue to keep the vaccines for second doses,” Lacson said in a radio interview.
He suggested that DOH should get the next batch of vaccines intended for shipment to Negros Occidental.
Duque said that DOH will use the borrowed vaccines in the National Capital Region, Regions 4A, 3 and Cordillera Administrative Region, where a surge of COVID-19 cases was noted.
Lacson said he believes that his sentiment is also being shared by other members of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP).
“The position of Negros Occidental is, we will not return it, since it is already reserved for the second doses,” the governor said.
