Gov. Yap gets first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Yap is jabbed with a Sinovac vaccine at the Bohol Provincial Diagnostic and Ambulatory Care Center in Tagbilaran City on Thurdsay morning. | via Ven Rebo Arigo

Governor Artur Yap early on Thursday received his first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In a statement, it was confirmed that Yap was jabbed at the Bohol Provincial Diagnostic and Ambulatory Care Center, formerly Bohol Medical Care Institute (BMCI) in Tagbilaran City.

He received the CoronaVac vaccine developed by Chinese drugmaker Sinovac BioTech.

“Ganinang buntag sayo, nagpabakuna ko ug Sinovac isip pagpakita ug suporta alang sa atong padayong pagbakuna sa katawhan batok sa COVID-19. Dili kita angay nga mahadlok nga magpabakuna tungod dugang kini nga proteksyon sa atong kaugalingon batok sa COVID-19,” Yap said in a Facebook post.

The governor’s vaccination was conducted by Ron Zapatos, a nurse from the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital.

The inoculation was witnessed by Provincial Health Office (PHO) officer-in-charge Dr. Yul Lopez and Yap’s chief of staff Giselle Quimpo.

Yap’s vaccination came after the National Inter-Agency Task Force elevated governors and mayors to be part of the A1.5 bracket of the vaccination priority list.

Previously, only local chief executives in areas deemed high-risk for COVID-19 transmission were part of A1.5 classification. (R. Tutas)