The Negros Occidental provincial government received an additional 84,900 doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) jabs from the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday.

The vaccines arrived as the province seeks to boost inoculation among its senior citizens and minors in the coming days.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the province needs to prioritize vaccination among the elderly population since a large number of Negrense senior citizens are still unvaccinated.

Earlier, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said Presidential Adviser for Covid-19 Response Vivencio Dizon assured the province of additional vaccine supply for the 5 to 11 age group.

A Provincial Health Office (PHO) report showed the latest delivery included Pfizer-BioNTech jabs totaling 60,840 doses for adults and 20,300 doses for the pediatric population as well as 3,760 doses of Sinovac’s CoronaVac shots.

The newly-arrived Covid-19 vaccines have been stored at the PHO cold room in this city and will be dispatched based on the number of jabs being requested by each local government unit.

Data of the DOH-Western Visayas showed only 49.58 percent, or 133,671 out of the 269,602 targets aged 60 and above in Negros Occidental, have received the first dose while 47.07 percent, or 126,905 senior citizens, have been fully vaccinated.

For the 5 to 11 age group, some 18,775 minors out of the 363,249 targets have availed at least one dose. (PNA)