The province of Negros Oriental is targeting an initial 196,226 children aged 5 to 11 years old for vaccination against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

Assistant Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Liland Estacion, said in a virtual presser Tuesday afternoon that the number is based on the master lists of local government units (LGUs).

“The total target for children aged 5 to 11 will vary, depending on the submission of LGUs,” Estacion said in mixed English and Cebuano. “I hope the LGUs will be diligent enough in their vaccination as we have not even allocated vaccines to the hospitals for these young children.”

As of March 1, the province had already inoculated 5,504 children with the first dose, or just 2.8 percent of the initial target, records at the Provincial Health Office showed.

Estacion called on parents to bring their children for vaccination while the province still has enough supply.

Overall, 529,744 adults are fully vaccinated in the province, representing 53.4 percent of the total target of 990,637. (PNA)