By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – Mayor Evelio Leonardia got his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Bacolod City Government Center Saturday.
The mayor got inoculated after receiving an advisory from the National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center allowing Local Chief Executives (LCEs) in areas considered as Critical and High Risk.
The advisory dated April 5, 2021 specifically stated that if a locality becomes high or critical risk as determined by the Department of Health, LCEs shall be qualified for inoculation.
Leonardia underwent pre-vaccination screening wherein his vitals such as temperature and blood pressure were taken by a health worker.
Dr. Edwin Miraflor, Jr., officer-in-charge of the City Health Office, administered the mayor’s vaccine.
He was handed over to the post-vaccination observation area where he sat down for at least 30 minutes while health workers again monitored his vital signs and to check if he got any side effects from the vaccine.
Leonardia, however, did not feel any side effects from the vaccine and he was released from the post-vaccination area after 30 minutes.
He is set to receive his second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine after eight weeks.
The mayor said he hopes that his vaccination will also help encourage the city’s residents, who may still have lingering doubts, to also get vaccinated once the vaccines formally become available to the public.
