A total of 2,140 vials of Moderna coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine from the national government arrived at the Bacolod-Silay Airport on Tuesday to be distributed here and Negros Occidental.

Both Bacolod City and Negros Occidental will each received 1,070 vials of the US-made vaccine. Each multiple-dose vial is good for at least 10 doses.

Aside from the Moderna jabs, the province and the city also received 10,000 vials of Sinovac’s CoronaVac shots each.

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said the arrival of the fresh supply of Covid-19 jabs was timely as the Provincial Health Office is about to use up the previous batches of vaccines sent by the national government.

“What’s left is the AstraZeneca vaccines purchased by the province. A few more Johnson&Johnson’s about 50 doses, which will all be administered soon. Sinovac, about 1,000 doses, which is now being distributed to the local government units (LGUs),” he added.

Diaz said the provincial government is still trying to determine where to administer the Moderna vaccine, considering its storage temperature requirement of minus 20 degrees Celsius.

In June, the province rolled out the Pfizer-BioNTech jabs only in two areas – Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City and Negros Residences vaccination center in the city – because these needed to be stored in ultra-low temperature freezers.

Diaz said, however, if there are LGUs that will request Moderna vaccine, the province will provide them.

In Bacolod, the city government has its cold storage facility for various brands of Covid-19 vaccines located beside the Government Center.

“The demand is greater than the supply, that’s why it’s also frustrating for some LGUs. We are hoping the Department of Health can see our performance that in Region 6 (Western Visayas), Negros Occidental is leading in terms of vaccine rollout,” Diaz said.

As the province only received a minimal supply of the 100,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine it has purchased using local funds, Diaz said they are hoping more will arrive soon, but the provincial government is subject to the pharmaceutical firm’s delivery schedule. (PNA)