By Glen Ramos
LAOAG, Ilocos Norte — Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc yesterday confirmed in his Facebook account that the Province of Ilocos Norte has already pre-ordered 120,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca Pharmaceutical Company.
“We will be utilizing a part of the P46 Million COVID-19 fund of the province for the procurement of an initial quantity of vaccines that will benefit about 60,000 residents or about 10% of the province’s total population,” he stated.
“It is a tough decision for me because there were concerns about its efficacy. But I also did not want to pass out the opportunity to get the vaccine early, so I just got a small amount,” he emphasized.
According to the efficacy rate, the AstraZeneca vaccine is 70% efficient to stop the Covid virus as compared to Moderna with 94% and Pfizer-Biotech with 95%, efficiency rate.
Manotoc said that frontline workers, senior citizens, and other vulnerable groups will be the first to be vaccinated once available.
Laoag City on the other hand was again placed under Localized General Community Quarantine on Tuesday, by virtue of Executive Order No. 110-21, to contain the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the Capital City.As of January 12, 2021. Ilocos Norte has a total of 643 Covid-19 cases, 138 are active cases, with 503 recoveries. There were three (3) deaths recorded. (AI/MTVN)
